Know the Right Time to Provide Vitamin Supplements for Children with Difficult Eating

Of course many parents worry about the condition of their children who have difficulty eating, so finding out children's vitamins is difficult to eat. However, it is better if parents also understand the ways and practical guidelines so that children want to eat and meet their nutritional needs. Feeding the child, often makes parents faced with a situation that is awry. However, do not panic, and the wrong strategy in dealing with children having difficulty eating. What is important, make sure the child's food intake according to age and growth rate.

Reasons for Difficult Children to Eat

One reason children find it difficult to eat is because they enter a period of picking and eating. Another reason that often makes children difficult to eat is because of the taste of food that is not tasty, or the texture of food that feels strange. This is probably because children are accustomed to or are often spoiled with sweet or flavorful dishes. So it's natural if they don't like it when they taste certain types of food especially fruits and vegetables. In addition, refusal to eat for children can sometimes be caused by inappropriate feeding techniques. As with threats, encouragement, coercion, or punishment. These actions actually risk making children traumatized with food.

Don't be in a hurry to give supplements

Parents often panic and rush to supplement their children with vitamin problems. In fact, such supplements are not always needed for healthy children who grow normally. Child health experts also recommend that child supplements be only given if your pediatrician recommends it. Moreover, most children do not need supplements because the necessary nutrients can still be obtained from various natural sources through the intake of nutritious foods and drinks. Vitamin supplements can be given if the results of a doctor's examination there are special indications, such as:

• Suffering from chronic diseases, both due to congenital conditions, infections, and malignancies / cancer
• Having growth and development disorders
• Have a limited diet, such as a vegetarian / vegan diet.

Providing vitamin supplements in large doses (megavitamin) as a shortcut, is not a good solution in dealing with difficult children to eat. It might even cause interference in children. Consult with your doctor, to determine whether your child's condition really needs vitamin supplements.

Tips on How to Get Hard to Eat Children

Understanding why your child is having trouble eating can help you determine the best way to deal with it. The following are guidelines for dealing with difficult children to eat:

• Understand that decreased appetite is common in children aged 2-5 years. This could be related to the growth rate of children who tend to slow down compared to previous ages.
• Parents are advised to choose nutritious foods with textures and flavors that are appropriate for the child's age and are liked by him. As long as the child wants to eat these nutritious food choices and their growth is not interrupted, you don't need to worry.
• If the child is difficult to eat in normal portions, you can prepare food that is divided into small portions, so that children feel able to spend it. If it's lacking, you can always add the next small portion. Understand that nutrition is emphasized more on the type, and not only on the amount.
• Be patient in introducing new foods, encourage your child by talking about food colors, shapes, smells and textures of new foods in a way that inspires them to be interested.
• You can also provide nutrient-dense snacks that can be given as a distraction between meals. But avoid giving too much or too close to the next meal.
• Encourage children to play and exercise, because it can stimulate appetite. However, don't let the child get too tired. Give a break of 10-15 minutes before feeding the child.
• Get used to eating with children, this can provide a good example for children about good eating patterns, so that children can imitate these behaviors slowly.

Helps Vitamin intake for Children Difficult to Eat

To help make vitamin foods more attractive for children to consume, here are a few tricks to meet the vitamin needs of children with difficulty eating:

• Make a sauce to taste

Foodstuffs such as carrots, beans or potatoes, can be given as a type of finger food, to make it easier to eat, but some children may complain of being lazy to eat because it tastes bland. You can make a variety of sauces (dipping sauce) from natural ingredients to make it taste more interesting. For example ketchup, lemon, beans, or garlic. But you should avoid giving additional seasonings such as excessive MSG.

• Helps with vegetable intake

Various vegetables contain minerals and vitamins and fiber that are useful for children's growth and development. When many children reject a variety of vegetables, you can focus on giving the type of vegetables that your child likes, such as carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, or spinach. The important thing is that children want to eat nutritious food first. Gradually, he will begin to be curious about the taste of other types of food such as vegetables and fruit that are often consumed by people around him. Gradually, you can also introduce other kinds of vegetables without having to force.

• When a child refuses to drink milk

Some children may be reluctant to drink milk that tastes unattractive. In fact, milk contains potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin D needed for growth and development. You can work around this by giving milk mixed with fruits with an interesting taste. Giving yogurt and cheese can also help replace the lack of milk consumed by children. Another trick is to provide whole-grain cereals, which are poured with milk.

In addition, fish and eggs are also very useful in helping your child's body absorb calcium, because of its beneficial vitamin D content. As a parent, you have to be patient in the process of meeting your child's vitamin intake, so that they are accustomed to eating healthy and nutritious food. However, if needed vitamin supplements for difficult children to eat, you should consult a doctor.