Got nutrition? Tips for handling picky eaters

Along with 10,000 of my colleagues, I recently attended the Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo in Boston, the world’s largest annual meeting of food and nutrition professionals.

The evidence-based educational sessions covered the entire life cycle from conception to end-of-life, and there were many presentations pertaining to children and adolescents.

Digestive health was a major theme at the meeting. Probiotics and fermented products were featured at the expo. And there were educational sessions on feeding your microbiome and influencing the gut-brain highway.

Other topics included reducing plate waste in schools; where kids fit into the new 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans; the management of life-threatening food allergies in early childcare and school settings; food insecurity; integrating cooking and tasting activities into nutrition education programs; and the health effects of natural foods high in saturated fat, such as coconut and butter.

Let’s zero in on a fascinating presentation that may be of interest if your child is an extremely “picky eater.”

The topic of avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder was presented by registered dietitian nutritionist Jill Castle, creator of The Kids Healthy Weight Project (an online nutrition and feeding course for parents) and The Nourished Child Podcast.

Your child may have the disorder if she experiences the following: Refusal of foods with certain characteristics — such as wet or slippery foods — or entire food groups; poor feeding or eating skills; problems with chewing, swallowing, or choking; delayed fine motor skills; underweight; anxiety with new foods or a new eating environment; or avoids social eating situations.

Children with the disorder often suffer from constipation, iron-deficiency anemia, vitamin C and vitamin A deficiency, low bone density, delayed puberty, and slowed growth. Perhaps not surprisingly, about half of these cases co-exist with other medical conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism, anxiety, and depression.

What can you do if you are a parent or grandparent of a child you suspect has avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder? Diagnosis is made by a mental health provider and a team approach is used including a psychologist or psychiatrist, registered dietitian nutritionist, speech language pathologist, and occupational therapist.

Therapy often includes cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure and desensitization therapy, self-comfort techniques, and family-based treatment where the family takes complete ownership of the feeding process.

Nutrition therapy may include:

• Food challenges where the child is encouraged to take one bite at a meal three nights in a row, then moving on to the next food challenge.

• Food chaining (e.g. rice cake to rice cracker to Rice Krispie Treat to rice).

• Three new foods every day after school for two weeks.

• A food log of trials and the encouragement of the child to evaluate her progress.

What does not work is pressure to eat, offering rewards, and unproven special diets, i.e. gluten-free, casein-free.

Ultimately, the goal is to provide the child with food courage, eating confidence, and a meaningful acceptance of food.

Christine M. Palumbo, a registered dietitian nutritionist and Fellow of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, practices in Naperville, Ill. She has firsthand experience with avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder with a young family member who is still “working on” his feeding skills. Follow her on Twitter @PalumboRD, Facebook at Christine Palumbo Nutrition, or Chris@ChristinePalumbo.com.

Relevant Directory Listings

See More

The Churchill School Summer Program

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Churchill School Summer Program is a two-week program where students entering grades one to four will participate in literacy activities based on the Wilson Fundations Program and a variety of camp activities. By helping your child retain academic skills he/she will avoid the “summer slide” and begin the school year as a confident learner. Every morning students will begin their day with a Fundations lesson led by a member of the Churchill faculty and will participate in a full day of summer fun including:</span></p> <p> </p> <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"> <li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Noto Sans Symbols',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; margin-left: -17.25pt;"> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 14pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arts and Crafts</span></p> </li> <li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Noto Sans Symbols',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; margin-left: -17.25pt;"> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sports</span></p> </li> <li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Noto Sans Symbols',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; margin-left: -17.25pt;"> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mindfulness and Yoga</span></p> </li> <li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Noto Sans Symbols',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; margin-left: -17.25pt;"> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Games</span></p> </li> <li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Noto Sans Symbols',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; margin-left: -17.25pt;"> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daily trips to the playground</span></p> </li> <li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Noto Sans Symbols',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; margin-left: -17.25pt;"> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; color: #3a3a3a; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so much more!</span></p> </li> </ul>

Challenge Camp

<p>Challenge Camp is an ACA accredited day camp focused on STEM and Arts enrichment for creative children ages 4-15 at a new location, Iona University. The Challenge Camp advantage is that parents and campers customize a program based on the child’s interests, and students follow their courses for an entire session.</p> <p>Challenge offers over 100 STEM and Arts project based electives to engage and inspire campers. Courses range from 3D Printing, App Development, Art, Chess, Coding, Cooking, Drones, Dungeons & Dragons, Escape Room, E-Sports, Filmmaking, Game Design, Lego, Magic, Makerspace, Minecraft, Photography, Podcasting, Robotics, Rocketry, Theater, VR and more! The Discover, Imagine & Create program is for students entering Kindergarten in fall. Active sports options including Basketball, Dance, Fencing, Ninja Warrior, Pickleball, Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee and an on-site Swim Program allow campers to challenge their minds and bodies. A Hot lunch and snack are included. Transportation and early drop-off/extended day options are available.</p> <p>The program is unique as there are multiple disciplinary options your child can experience throughout the day from STEM, Art, Theater, Music, Science, Technology, Sports and Swimming. To learn more about this innovative enrichment program visit: <a href="http://www.challengecamps.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.challengecamps.com&source=gmail&ust=1704993244563000&usg=AOvVaw3LRLLIWiKoUBlHE35POFyK">http://www.<wbr />challengecamps.com</a></p>

YMCA of Long Island Summer Day Camp

<p><strong>YMCA of Long Island Summer Day Camp – CAMP LIFE is the BEST LIFE with locations in Bay Shore, East Hampton, Glen Cove, Holtsville, Huntington, and Patchogue</strong></p> <p>As one of the region's largest, most-diverse camps for decades, YMCA Summer Day Camp offers a variety of programs with age-appropriate activities and opportunities to try new things, build confidence, and create memories. </p> <p>At the YMCA Summer Day Camp we offer the best of adventure, aquatics, sports & games, creative arts, camp traditions, special guests & trips, and summer learning. Our programs for ages 3-15 are designed to meet your child's interests and abilities. </p> <p>For the 2022 season, each of our two-week sessions will have a theme  Camp at Sea, Out of this World, Summer of Imagination and The Greatest Color War – providing campers with unique activities and special memories. Our staff create a safe, fun, welcoming environment where kids can be themselves to enjoy learning, playing, exploring, and socializing. </p> <p><strong>Two-week sessions run June 27-Aug 19 with a bonus Camp Rocks! week from Aug 22-26.</strong> In-person and virtual open house options. Enrollment extras available.  </p>