Problems with eating and food allergies in children

It is normal for toddlers to refuse to eat - or even taste - new foods. They will learn to eat and enjoy new foods by copying your behaviour, so eat with your toddler as often as possible. However, if your child is losing weight, you should consult your doctor.

Try not to worry

It can be very worrying if your child refuses to eat or is very choosy, but try to remember this is a perfectly normal phase. Children will eat enough to keep them going, so try not to worry unless your child is clearly not gaining weight or is obviously unwell. It may be that your child is picking up your own feelings about food. Perhaps you’re a dieter or you have a weight problem. Maybe you just see healthy eating as an important goal. If your child is picking up on your anxiety, it may be that mealtimes have become an ideal time to get attention.

Refusing to eat, or eating very little

As long as your child eats some food from each of the five food groups – even if it’s always the same old favourites – then you shouldn’t need to worry.

Remember, if your child is active and gaining weight, they are getting enough to eat.

Tips for success

Try some of the following if you are still having trouble getting your child to eat:

offer them the same food as the rest of the family (remember not to add salt), and eat your meals together if possible
give smaller portions and praise them for eating even a little
if your child rejects the food don’t force them to eat it – remove it without comment
don’t leave meals too late as they may be too hungry or too tired
limit in-between meal snacks to a milk drink, a cracker with some cheese or some fruit slices
don’t get annoyed if they refuse to eat – sometimes your child may just be attention seeking
don’t use sweet food as a reward for eating savoury food– this will just confirm to your baby that vegetables etc are not enjoyable
never use food as a reward – instead play a game with your children or go to the park
ask another adult your child likes or another child the same age to eat with you – this may break the habit of refusal
try to make mealtimes enjoyable and not just about eating

Food allergies

Some children experience unpleasant reactions after eating certain foods – like coughing, vomiting, itchy rash, diarrhoea or tingling of the mouth or throat– but they often outgrow these.

However with a few children, some foods may cause a reaction so severe that it is life-threatening.

This is called anaphylaxis.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis vary, but if your child is fainting or having trouble breathing you need to call 999 immediately.

Foods most likely to cause an allergic reaction are:

wheat based foods which contain gluten
nuts and seeds, including ground nuts
eggs
fish and shellfish
soft and unpasteurised cheese

If you think that your child is reacting to a certain food, always go to your doctor or speak to your health visitor.

Don’t be tempted to experiment by cutting out a major food (like milk), as you may be cutting important nutrients from your child’s diet.

Peanut allergy

Peanut allergy is a particular concern.

Children most at risk of peanut allergy are those whose parents or siblings have hayfever, asthma, eczema or any food allergy.

For children in this risk category the advice is to avoid giving them peanuts and foods containing peanut products (like peanut butter and peanut oil) until they are three years old.

Food safety

Babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to bacteria that cause food poisoning, so it’s very important to store, prepare and cook food safely, and to keep the kitchen, chopping board and cooking utensils clean.