Why does my child eat poorly and what to do about it?

Little ones are the joking name for children who eat little and constantly spread porridge on their plates. Reduced appetite occurs in almost every second child. Worried parents worry, suffer, trying to feed their child at any cost, and then turn to the pediatrician with the question: what to do if the child does not eat well?

What is appetite and why does it decrease after a year?

Appetite is a process at the physiological level, in which the need to take a particular food arises, salivation begins, and the work of the gastrointestinal tract begins. A good appetite is determined not only by the quality, aroma, taste of food, but also by the body’s needs for nutrients.

Children's appetite is especially fickle, that is, today a son or daughter can devour the most ordinary soup by both cheeks, and tomorrow they will refuse their favorite puree or juice. The child’s body clearly “understands” what exactly it needs at the moment, so infants eat only when they want, it is almost impossible to force feed them. Older children already succumb to parental influence and begin to adhere to a certain feeding schedule.

Children don't eat well when they're sick

During periods of illness, such as a cold, most children eat little or refuse food altogether. Their body does not require it, since it accumulates all the energy to fight the disease, and not to digestive processes. During illness, children should not be forced to feed food. It is better to offer your baby fruit or vegetable juices, purees, fruit or other light foods. As soon as he feels better, he himself will ask for food, and the body will replenish all reserves of nutrients.

A child may refuse to eat if the oral mucosa is inflamed (stomatitis). The process of chewing food becomes painful for him. Examine his mouth to see if there are any inflamed areas or small white sores on his gums, cheeks, or the inside of his lips? For stomatitis and other diseases of the oral cavity or teeth, give your child warm liquid food, avoiding salty, sweet or sour foods.

Why does a child eat poorly, even if he is healthy?

Note that a sharp decrease in appetite is observed in the hot season, when the body needs fluid more. In the heat, your child may not eat much, but he will drink for two. This is normal and occurs even in adults. Don't force feed him, just give him the opportunity to get hungry. Residents of hot countries always eat less food than northerners, and this food is usually easily digestible. At the same time, many residents of northern countries cannot imagine their meals without heavy meat dishes. This once again proves the influence of climate and weather on appetite.

Children after one year begin to eat with less appetite than before. The reason for this is slower growth. Babies from birth to one year grow actively and quickly gain weight, so they eat often (on average once every 3-5 hours). After a year, the growth rate noticeably decreases, which means that the body’s cells require less “building material”.

Low physical activity is another reason for a child’s poor appetite. If he sits at home, moves little and walks on the street, then it is not surprising that his need for food is lower than that of the neighbor’s boy who runs around in the yard all day.

Appetite temporarily decreases during teething. At this time, the gums hurt, itch, and may be swollen, making eating painful. The child tries to eat less to avoid discomfort.

Stress also leads to a temporary decrease in appetite. If a child goes to kindergarten, school, undergoes treatment or examination, finds himself in unusual conditions, is attacked by other children, adults, or is brought up in a negative environment, then he experiences stress. Appetite during such a period can be very poor.

4 reasons why your child doesn't eat enough

Often parents look for a problem where there is none. It is quite possible that the child is not eating well because:

1. He doesn't like food. Children often refuse foods that adults think are healthy (meat, milk, some vegetables, herbs, etc.). Try presenting the dish differently, for example, by decorating it with something.
2. It kills your appetite. Parents complain that their children do not eat anything during the day and go hungry, but upon detailed investigation, it turns out that the child ate cookies, candy, and even cakes. By carrying sweets before the main meal, children curb their appetite, and when it’s time to eat the treasured soup, they are no longer hungry, since they have already eaten enough sweets. The solution to the problem is simple - treat your baby with treats only after he has eaten his main food.
3. You are trying to force feed a child. A common mistake parents make is to force food into their child, even if he doesn’t want to. As a result, the child Bad mood and feeding for him turns into hard labor. By scolding your baby for uneaten porridge, you thereby instill in him a dislike for food in general, and for this porridge in particular. After several such “dragging”, he will sit down at the table with the expectation that he will again “get in trouble” for not eating well. In this case, there can be no talk of a good appetite and desire to eat.
4. Portions too big. Children are different and if the neighbor's boy easily eats a full plate of porridge, this does not mean that your child will eat the same amount. Give him small portions, and if he doesn’t get enough, just add more. A huge plate full of soup causes psychological discomfort in a child, since he initially thinks that he will not be able to handle it all.

Pediatricians advise paying attention to the child’s condition. If he is active, gaining weight in accordance with the norm, feeling well, and not complaining about his health, then there is nothing to worry about. Give him the opportunity to eat as much as he wants and do not force feed him. Follow the feeding schedule and do not treat him with sweets before the main meal. If he refuses to eat at the table, calmly remove the plate and continue eating without him. Don’t immediately rush to the refrigerator in search of treats to feed your capricious baby. Most likely, this is exactly what he is trying to achieve. If after a while the child asks for food, calmly feed him.

When should you sound the alarm and see a doctor?

Lack of appetite is not always the norm. Sometimes this is a pathology that leads to exhaustion of the body and an acute lack of nutrients and vitamins. In this case, there may be a lag in physical and mental development. Outwardly, such children look painfully thin, it seems as if their bones are simply covered with skin and the subcutaneous fat layer is completely absent. Signs of vitamin deficiency and anemia are observed.

Pathologically poor appetite leads to a decrease in the amount of vitamins and microelements in the body. You can determine whether there is a deficiency of useful elements by taking a blood test. In order not to torture the child in vain, you should first analyze his condition externally. Vitamin deficiency is usually accompanied by the following problems: decreased immunity, susceptibility to infectious diseases, low physical activity, lack of interest in the outside world, lethargy, weakness, and fatigue. The skin often becomes pale and dry, “stubs” appear in the corners of the mouth, and the condition of the hair worsens.

If teeth often deteriorate and even break, it means that there is not enough phosphorus or calcium in the body. With a lack of iron, anemia occurs and hemoglobin becomes low. Deficiency of cobalt, copper, zinc and B vitamins affects the child’s growth (it slows down).

Children suffering from diseases of the stomach, duodenum or esophagus often refuse salty, fatty, spicy foods. However, they may complain of pain in these places. To clarify the situation, you need to visit a pediatric gastroenterologist and do an ultrasound.

Anorexia nervosa is a dangerous condition in which a child can not only suddenly lose weight, but also develop serious health problems. With anorexia nervosa, children completely refuse to eat, and after forced eating they begin to vomit.

If a teenager refuses to eat, pay attention to his psychological state and self-esteem. Influenced by glossy magazines and television, many teenage girls go on a diet in order to lose weight. Often they stop eating completely, and if they have to eat food, they induce vomiting. After some time on such a “diet,” health problems begin: the size of the stomach decreases, exhaustion (cachexia) begins, weight is lost at a high rate and the once happy child turns into a “living skeleton.” Then they would be happy to start eating as before, but they can no longer, since the very thoughts about food cause vomiting, and the processes of digestion and assimilation of food slow down significantly.

If your child persistently tries to lose weight and refuses to eat, take him to a good psychologist, or contact a pediatrician with the problem, who will direct you where you need to go.

So, if your child does not eat well and the problem is not far-fetched, then your path should begin with a pediatrician. He will analyze the diet, identify violations, and send you for blood and stool tests (to detect worms and giardia). The child may be referred to specialized specialists, such as a neurologist, gastroenterologist or endocrinologist. If indicated, the doctor has the right to prescribe medications that improve appetite and speed up metabolism. As a rule, these are drugs based on herbal preparations. After the tests, iron-containing preparations may be prescribed to improve blood composition, as well as a complex of vitamins and minerals.

Very often, under the influence of popular culture, girls at an early age already think about their figure. Sometimes this can turn into a problem of refusing to eat with serious consequences. Anorexia is a term meaning persistent and excessive restriction in food, in some food ingredients or in the amount of food consumed. The Englishman Richard Morton described this condition already in 1689.

Very often, future fashion models or ballet students develop persistent anorexia, which is difficult to correct. The task of parents is not to turn a blind eye to even the first news of future problems.

The leading symptom can be identified as an overvalued and sometimes illogical belief in excess body weight. Such a child simply “sees” himself as very fat. All attempts to convince him are unsuccessful. Next, the teenager can limit himself in food and take special medications. Intertwined with this complex state are difficult relationships with the opposite sex and friends, misunderstandings between parents, and misinterpretation of the actions of others. In more severe cases, neurological and hormonal disorders are possible as a consequence of the conditions described above.

Even if a child or girl is hungry, their delusional beliefs are so strong that they manage to suppress this state. In the first stages, refusal to eat is episodic and alternates with overeating. Such a child will lose weight and gain weight. This gives parents a misleading picture of improvement. It also becomes difficult to control the episodes when a girl eats and whether she eats everything. The first stage of anorexia nervosa can last from six months to 3 years. At the same time, there is still an appetite, but there is a tendency to be selective in food and excessive physical activity.

At the next stage, there may be a complete refusal to eat. Depression and a decrease in overall tone in life may appear. The feeling of hunger dulls, and there is a progressive decline in body weight. But there are also paradoxical reactions when a girl actively feeds her brothers and sisters or happily prepares dinner for her family. At the same time, hormonal disorders increase - there are no menstruation, teeth are affected, hair and nails suffer, skin problems appear. The person is weakened, his psyche is quickly depleted, and perhaps irritability. This condition can last up to one and a half years.

Of course, not everyone has such severe anorexia. But often changes in behavior of this kind can be a consequence of divorce in the family, stress at school, or a painful desire to be the best, to excel. It is better for parents to be gentle and not intrusive, but in time they need to start increasing the child’s self-esteem, smoothing out everyday problems, controlling episodes with diets and preventing excessive physical activity

Teenage overeating is a serious problem. © Shutterstock

Improper nutrition, too much or, on the contrary, insufficient, prevents a teenager from developing correctly. Parents often feel that their teenager eats too much. Find out if you should panic about this.

Don't get upset in advance and don't make a diagnosis yourself. Maybe the child eats a lot because he is just actively growing? Find out if your teen's overeating is related to psychological problems.

A nervous disorder in which a person cannot control himself by eating a huge amount of food in a short period of time is called compulsive overeating.

Causes of compulsive overeating in adolescents

Compulsive overeating in a child may be a reaction to severe teenage stress. This is understandable: during adolescence, a child experiences severe hormonal changes.

Girls and boys begin to fully not only realize, but also feel their gender identity.

Hence various complexes associated with shortcomings in appearance, clothing or other factors. Severe stress can be caused by problems in a teenager's personal life. Take a closer look, maybe your child is suffering from unrequited love and he really needs your support.

If bouts of overeating are repeated frequently, you need to understand their causes and consult a psychologist.

Is compulsive overeating a sign of drug addiction?

© Shutterstock Of course, binge eating can happen to all teenagers.

But if a child constantly suddenly empties the refrigerator, while his depressive and nervous mood suddenly changes to joyful and elated, you should be wary.

Compulsive overeating may be a sign of drug use.

Of course, you cannot immediately rush at a teenager with accusations and questions. It is necessary to observe the child and give him as much attention as possible. And establish the cause of overeating.

From overeating to bulimia one step

Bulimia is also an eating disorder. A person with bulimia constantly overeats and feels guilty about it. Especially teenage girls who are always trying to lose weight.

In pursuit of the gold standard of 90-60-90, teenage girls try to get rid of what they eat in different ways: by vomiting, using laxatives and diuretics, enemas and complete fasting.

© Shutterstock After a complete forced cleansing, the teenager’s body requires replenishment. Therefore, the teenager again has a nervous breakdown and an attack of overeating.

It is urgent to take your teenager to the doctor if your child locks himself in the bathroom after a hearty lunch, gives himself enemas, takes laxatives, or induces vomiting.

How to correct the situation and improve appetite? First of all, you need to understand whether there is really a reason for serious worries. You may need to consult your doctor. Sometimes it is enough to simply take into account the characteristics of children's physiology and psyche. Deviation from the norm (the idea of ​​which may be erroneous) is not always a sign of trouble, which must be combated by any means. Proper nutrition for the child can often help.

Causes of poor appetite in children

The first thing to do when a child eats poorly is to figure out the reason for this behavior. Poor appetite may be caused by:

• illness (from mild illness to serious diseases of various organs);
• bad mood, negative emotions;
• eating sweets between breakfast, lunch and dinner;
• incorrect approach to the feeding process on the part of parents (irregular or excessive feeding).

Some children refuse to eat if there is no additional entertainment (cartoons, toys, old wives' tales) or encouragement (parents promise the child to buy the desired toy if he eats all the porridge). The habit is developed quickly, but it is not easy to wean it off.

How to improve a baby's appetite under 1 year of age

The appetite of an infant depends on a number of factors:

1. Anatomical features and health status.
2. The composition and taste of milk, which is largely determined by the mother’s nutrition.
3. Child's diet and sleep schedule.
4. Psychological state of the mother.

A woman’s compliance with hygiene rules is of no small importance, since unpleasant odors and cosmetic aromas can worsen the baby’s appetite.

It is necessary to start accustoming the child to solid food in time. If a child after 6 months is fed only breast milk, then subsequently it is much more difficult to accustom him to regular food.

The baby's appetite improves after bathing. Before feeding, it is necessary to change him into loose clothing that ensures normal thermoregulation.

What to do if children have no appetite

A growing body needs adequate nutrition, including proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins. Therefore, the children's diet should contain meat, eggs, dairy products, various cereals, fruits, and vegetables. This is the only way to satisfy the body’s need for essential macroelements:

• calcium (part of bone tissue, necessary for the growth of healthy teeth);
• phosphorus (with its deficiency, improper bone growth occurs);
• magnesium (affects cardiac activity, muscle development).

With food, the body receives iron, zinc, iodine and other microelements that are part of the blood, ensuring the normal development of all organs. The lack of these substances leads to developmental delays. This is another reason for worry when a child does not eat well. What to do in such a situation will be advised by a pediatrician, who will most likely prescribe special vitamin complexes that replenish the deficiency of elements.

Decreased appetite due to illness

One of the first symptoms of a child's illness is a decrease in appetite. You should not insist on eating without fail if he feels unwell and signs such as lethargy and fever appear. In this condition, it is much more important for the child to drink more. At the same time, he will sweat, due to which the temperature will drop. In addition, sweat releases toxins produced in the body during inflammatory processes.

Digestion requires energy. An organism weakened by disease cannot cope with this function. Food during this period should be light: fruits, milk soup, mashed potatoes, boiled fish, chicken. Moreover, it is better to invite the child to eat the foods that he loves.

Anorexia in children

Anorexia is a condition in which the body is unable to take in food. In adolescents, it can occur as a result of the desire to lose weight.

Infantile anorexia is manifested by regurgitation during meals and an aversion to regular food. Sometimes there is an addiction to sour citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit). At the same time, the child eats poorly, is capricious, throws dishes off the table, and expresses dissatisfaction with the feeding process itself. Parents are often at a loss: what to do to correct the situation.

If a child does not eat well, then, by adhering to certain rules, you can gradually accustom him to normal nutrition:

• if necessary, increase the interval between meals so that the baby gets hungry;
• Food should be given in small portions, placed on a small plate, adding more if the child expresses a desire;
• it is not necessary to ensure that the child eats everything that is put on his plate, or what is unpleasant for him;
• It is not recommended to sit at the table during feeding for more than half an hour, then it is better to remove food from the table;
• In no case should you scold a child if he vomits while eating;
• feeding should take place in a calm and friendly environment;
• if necessary, you need to change the dishes, combine products, arousing interest in them;
• Do not give buns, sweet juice and candy between main meals.

Video: Why children don’t want to eat, is it necessary to fight it?

Should you force feed your baby?

Parents often feel that their son is behind his neighbor in height because he eats less. However, the point is not in the amount of food, but in the individuality of physiological processes. For all people, food absorption and metabolism in the body occur differently. If your child has no signs of illness, then you should not worry about his appetite. The body has enough nutrients. And growth can be influenced by heredity. Some children begin to grow rapidly during puberty, catching up and surpassing their peers.

Please note: If, in the absence of hereditary factors, a child differs significantly in height from his peers, the doctor often refers him to an endocrinologist for examination, since hormonal disorders may be the cause.

Appetite is directly related to bowel function. Therefore, parents should pay serious attention to the frequency of bowel movements of the child. If your baby suffers from constipation, he may vomit at the next meal. This is a natural protective reaction of the body. If you insist on eating, then children will develop a pathological reaction, vomiting will appear at the sight of any food, and anorexia will develop.

Feeding through force, rudeness, and threats can cause irreparable harm to the child’s health and traumatize the psyche. The consequences of such feeding are heart disease, stomach disease, including cancer.

Video: Problems of force feeding of children

What to do to improve your appetite

Parents often cannot find the answer: what to do if their children do not eat well. In order for the feeding process to proceed normally, it is necessary not only to diversify the dishes and pay more attention to the table setting, but also to make sure that the child feels calm, is not afraid of threats, and knows that he will not be persuaded or forced to eat.

A baby's appetite usually improves if he is fed with other children.

If your appetite is poor, then it is more important to eat a second, more nutritious dish without filling your stomach with the first, liquid one.

The food should include dishes that stimulate the appetite. Children can be given not very salty herring, pickled cucumbers and tomatoes, cabbage and a variety of salads. It is necessary to feed the child foods containing a lot of fiber (porridge, vegetables, fruits) to improve intestinal function.

Of great importance for increasing appetite is the duration of walks in the fresh air, outdoor games, sports, and hardening procedures. In some cases, it may be necessary to take special medications to improve the production of gastric juice, products containing bifidobacteria.

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Loss of appetite in children as a symptom: possible causes of poor appetite

Appetite is the emotional manifestation of the body’s physiological need for nutrients and the desire to consume certain foods. Decreased and loss of appetite is manifested by complete or partial refusal to eat.

Hunger and appetite should not be confused. From a medical point of view, these are different, although interrelated, concepts. The feeling of hunger is a reflex that manifests itself when special centers of the brain are excited against the background of the absence or insufficient supply of nutrients to the body.

The main signs of hunger are nagging discomfort in the sublingual area and in the projection of the stomach (“in the pit of the stomach”), as well as an increase in the secretory activity of the salivary glands (excessive salivation). Appetite is a selective manifestation of hunger, depending on individual preferences, emotional state and a number of other factors.

Causes of loss of appetite

It is customary to distinguish the following types of changes in appetite:

• complete loss of appetite (anorexia);
• partial reduction;
• change in taste preferences.

Causes of loss of appetite in children include:

Loss of appetite in a child is often one of the symptoms of the so-called. “seasonal” diseases – ARVI and influenza. In the acute period, you should not force feed the patient, since in this situation incomplete digestion of food is possible. A child's refusal to eat may be the first clinical manifestation of poisoning from low-quality foods or medications. Food toxic infections (salmonellosis, botulism, etc.), which require hospitalization in the infectious diseases department of a hospital, cannot be excluded.

Loss of appetite often indicates the presence of serious autoimmune diseases and pathologies of the liver and hepatobiliary system. If loss of appetite is accompanied by dyspeptic disorders (belching, nausea, heartburn), there is reason to suspect the development or exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In such cases, it is necessary to seek help from a gastroenterologist who will prescribe the necessary tests and draw up a treatment plan.

When, in addition to loss of appetite, a child experiences increased fatigue, drowsiness and decreased blood pressure, there is reason to suspect endocrine diseases - in particular, hypothyroidism (decreased functional activity of the thyroid gland). In such cases, a consultation with an endocrinologist, an ultrasound scan of the thyroid gland and tests for hormone levels are required. Computed tomography helps to identify pathological processes in the pituitary gland and (or) hypothalamus.

Metabolic disorders often develop against the background of the growth of malignant tumors. Already in the early stages, the patient’s sense of taste changes and there is a loss of appetite. Refusal from eating meat should be especially alarming. If there are certain signs of a tumor, the patient is referred for examination to an oncologist.

In neuropsychiatric disorders, decreased or complete loss of appetite (anorexia) is one of the leading clinical signs. The process of eating does not give the patient pleasure, the food seems tasteless, and rapid satiety appears. Even small portions of food cause an unpleasant feeling of heaviness and fullness in the stomach, as well as nausea. In such cases, consultation and treatment with a psychotherapist or neurologist is required.

Please note: Anorexia nervosa is most often diagnosed in young girls with an unjustified desire to lose weight. With this pathology, an aversion to food gradually develops. Often, severe exhaustion develops against the background of anorexia, in severe cases accompanied by irreversible changes in the body. If there is a complete loss of appetite, long-term treatment in a hospital may be required.

Loss of appetite (usually a more or less pronounced decrease) may well be a variant of the norm, i.e., it is not always a sign of somatic diseases or nervous disorders. Children's need for food changes at different stages of development. It is determined by the intensity of growth, energy costs and hormonal levels.

Important: studies of eating behavior in children have shown that every fifth child aged 4-5 years is picky about food. In some of them, this feature persists for up to 9-10 years.

Decreased or loss of appetite in children

In children under 3 years of age, loss of appetite is often associated with teething, which is accompanied by severe local discomfort and deterioration in general well-being.

A child, as a rule, refuses to eat if he develops an infection of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity (stomatitis). Inflammation and the formation of numerous ulcers makes the process of eating painful.

Often the cause of decreased or loss of appetite is forced feeding “by the clock.” Eating “by force”, when with low energy consumption, hunger has not yet appeared, can even lead to the formation of a negative attitude towards certain foods. You cannot force a child to eat with encouragement or threats - appetite must develop independently.

Please note: Children's taste preferences sometimes change literally daily. The food that he eats with pleasure today may cause disgust in the baby tomorrow.

Loss of appetite is possible if the baby is not accustomed to eating in accordance with a certain regimen.

Refusal to eat is a common occurrence when snacking between main meals. Perhaps all parents know that sweets and starchy foods (“fast” carbohydrates) worsen appetite. You should not be surprised if your baby, having eaten a bun or chocolate shortly before lunch, refuses soup.

Nervous overstimulation or excessive fatigue can also affect your appetite.

What to do if children lose appetite?

When a child regularly refuses to eat or eats with visible reluctance, it is first of all important to exclude the presence of nervous or somatic pathologies. In their absence, important attention is paid to the formation of a daily routine and nutrition, ensuring that the diet is complete and varied.

How can parents help?

When a child, in the absence of serious illnesses, limits his diet on his own, there is no need to worry that he will go hungry.

Average age requirements of a growing body in kilocalories:

Important: excess calories can cause weight gain and obesity, which is increasingly being diagnosed in children nowadays.

Some parents believe that a well-fed child weighing slightly above the average for age needs more calories than his thin peers. This is fundamentally wrong. Thinness is evidence that all calories received from food are burned. In overweight children who are prone to quiet games, the need for food may be noticeably less. You can often observe how a round-cheeked baby by the age of 9-10 begins to “stretch out” and there is no trace of fullness left.

Appetite, as a rule, increases significantly during the period of active growth and puberty. In parallel with changes in hormonal levels, a restructuring of all types of metabolism occurs. The adequacy of nutrition is determined not by the amount of food consumed, but by the rate of growth and development of the child and the degree of nutrition.

Please note: At different periods of life, children do not grow quite evenly, and their calorie needs change accordingly. From birth to 3-4 years, the period of “first fullness” continues, and then the vast majority begin a “half-height growth spurt”, and children, as a rule, go into first grade slim and thin.

To improve appetite, the child needs to be offered a variety of foods, avoiding the so-called. "food conservatism"

It is necessary to regulate children's energy expenditure whenever possible. To improve appetite, a child needs regular walks in the fresh air, active games and physical education and sports. If he spends most of his time at the computer or in front of the TV, it should not be surprising that his need for food decreases.

A good remedy for loss of appetite in a child is a clear example. It is recommended to have lunch and dinner with the whole family. It is important that parents enjoy eating the same dishes that are offered to their children.

The baby should eat in a calm environment, without being distracted by external stimuli. He should not be allowed to eat in front of the TV.

If your child gets hungry between meals, offer him nuts or dried fruit. These foods will not suppress your appetite, but will help you cope with hunger.

Feeding time should be limited to minutes, and if you refuse a particular food - to 15 minutes.

Poor appetite: which doctor should I contact?

If there is a persistent decrease or loss of appetite, it is necessary to show the baby to a pediatrician. It may be necessary to consult specialists.

If your baby appears sick, tired, or simply not energetic enough, you may need to be tested by:

It is possible that treatment of the underlying disease is required to normalize appetite. A good reason to consult a doctor is the delay in the child’s growth and development, as well as his poor general health.

If pathologies of the digestive system are diagnosed, the child is prescribed a diet (in accordance with the specific identified disease), which will have to be followed for a long time. For any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, meals should be fractional, that is, relatively frequent (6 or more times a day) and in small portions.

Folk remedies for normalizing appetite

To increase appetite, you can use folk recipes - decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs.

Please note: Before giving your child herbal medicines, be sure to consult with your pediatrician to determine the presence of contraindications and the likelihood of allergic reactions.

2 tsp. dry or fresh raspberries, pour 200 ml of boiled water and leave for 30 minutes. If there is loss of appetite, the child should be given 100 ml of infusion 4 times a day before meals.

Pour 200 ml of water 2 tsp. dry crushed dandelion root and leave for hours. The infusion should be taken 50 ml 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

Brew 1 tsp. dried herb wormwood 200 ml of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. The infusion should be taken 1 tsp. jam before meals three times a day.

½ tbsp. l. dry cornflower flowers, pour a glass of boiled water, leave for 15 minutes, cool and strain. If you lose your appetite, it is recommended to drink 50 ml of the infusion. before meals.

½ tsp. parsley seeds, pour 200 ml of cold water, put on fire and heat for half an hour, without bringing to a boil. Cool and strain the finished infusion. It is recommended to give the drug to a child 1 tbsp. l. 4-5 times a day before meals.

Pour ¼ liter of boiling water 1 tsp. crushed anise fruit and leave for minutes. The infusion should be drunk 50 ml per 30 minutes. before meals.

For loss of appetite, acupuncture therapy is indicated. One of the biologically active points is located on the outer lateral surface of the little finger near the nail. Before eating, it is recommended to massage this area for the child. with medium pressure intensity.

Chumachenko Olga, medical observer

The information is provided for informational purposes only. Do not self-medicate. At the first signs of illness, consult a doctor. There are contraindications, a doctor's consultation is necessary. The site may contain content prohibited for viewing by persons under 18 years of age.

Does your teenager have a voracious appetite?

You don’t want him to gain 30 or more kilograms in a year, do you?

A teenager with enviable consistency makes devastating raids on the refrigerator?

He has a beastly appetite, every month - new kilograms are added, and the first stretch marks have already appeared on the buttocks, hips and chest?

Take urgent measures: a teenager needs a special diet, otherwise in a year he can gain 30 or more kilograms, and in addition acquire a whole bunch of adult ailments.

Why is this happening

A neuroendocrine disorder in which a teenager suffers from an insatiable appetite is called basophilism. It is caused by disturbances in the hypothalamus - in the very core of the brain.

During the process of adolescent puberty, there is a special moment when the hypothalamus begins to single-handedly control hormonal changes. Any infection can disrupt this complex process: flu, a sore tooth, a sore throat. Tobacco, alcohol, the passion to fry on the beach and nervous and emotional overload can play the same role. That's when the dangerous “button” goes off!

You come home from work and see that there is no food in the house, there are empty pots and pans on the stove...

Don’t scream, the child is already ashamed that he couldn’t restrain himself. But he really couldn't!

You should immediately take a sugar test and consult with a therapist, neurologist and endocrinologist.

If you miss time, the child will not only gain weight. In young men, the mammary glands will become rounded like girls, and a fatty “collar” will appear on the neck, the color of which is somewhat darker than normal skin. In addition, with a rounded torso, the arms and legs will remain thin as before. Girls will experience irregularities in their menstrual cycle.

First, deal with the foci of infection: cure your teeth, remove adenoids, etc. and, of course, put you on a diet. Ban flour, fatty, sweet, salty and coffee. Give less sausages, savory snacks and spices that stimulate the appetite. Let his diet include more raw vegetables and fruits. They give you a feeling of fullness. Food cellulose, which you can buy at the pharmacy, helps cope with hunger. Place 5 tablets in every 150 g of minced meat and fish, vegetable cutlets or potatoes. Or just give the teenager 3-5 tablets per

20 minutes before meals 3 times a day (you should drink 1/3 cup of boiled water or kefir). Thanks to cellulose, your teenager will be able to easily eat less. Make sure your child drinks at least 1.5 liters of liquid during the day, including any drinks and first courses.

Breakfast: egg, vinaigrette without potatoes with vegetable oil, a glass of tea with sweetener.

Second breakfast: stewed meat with cabbage, a glass of rosehip infusion.

Lunch: cabbage soup in vegetable broth, boiled meat, crumbly buckwheat porridge, fruit

Dinner: boiled pike perch, cabbage pudding, fruit.

How to increase a teenager's appetite?

Due to lack of appetite, there is significant weight loss.

You first need to figure out why a teenager has a poor appetite. Possible causes are anemia (usually weakness, fatigue, headaches, drowsiness; to check, take a general blood test and look at hemoglobin), depression, stress. Consult your pediatrician and possibly an endocrinologist. To increase appetite, you need to influence the reason why it is not there. Also take into account whether the teenager eats chips, snacks, etc. and because of this he doesn’t want to eat normal food later.

You can increase your appetite in a variety of ways, but you must first understand why your teenager has no appetite. Does he, firstly, have some kind of disease that is accompanied by weight loss and lack of appetite, and also find out if there is some purely mental reason for such a lack of appetite. Matters of the heart, for example, at this age greatly influence the body and behavior of adolescents. You also need to keep in mind that in adolescence, boys and girls gain height very quickly, due to which they lose weight. Try to make the boy or girl feel happy, so that they enjoy life and are not sad, so that they have good mood, and if there are no diseases, then the appetite will appear on its own.

If you can stand it, wormwood is very bitter, but it causes appetite, and you can also read about herbs, many of them cause appetite. And since “Komarovsky’s pediatrician” says, “Children should be thin and with an awl in their ass.” Then your appetite will appear and your gain will appear. Read and listen to Doctor “Komarovsky”, he has a lot of interesting things to say. And also think about higher calorie foods as an option.

Why does loss of appetite occur?

General information

Appetite - what is it?

• quantity and quality of food;
• nutritional conditions;
• speed of food absorption;
• the amount of water contained in body tissues;
• level of fat reserve.

While eating, the appetite gradually dulls. This is not surprising, since eaten food stretches the walls of the stomach, after which they are digested. The breakdown products are then absorbed by the body, in turn causing a feeling of fullness.

Types of disorders

1. general or “I want to eat!”: in this case, a person does not care what to eat;

2. specialized forms: in this case, a person wants to eat something specific, which indicates a lack of some substance in his body. The body may experience a lack of both fats and carbohydrates, minerals, proteins or vitamins.

These include:

Causes of disorders

Here are the most common ones:

• dementia ( dementia caused by disease or damage to the brain);
• heart failure;
• bronchial asthma;
• hypothyroidism ( a condition characterized by a long-term and persistent lack of thyroid hormones);
• chronic liver pathologies;
• lack of zinc in the body;
• hepatitis;
• appendicitis;
• ulcerative colitis;
• pregnancy period;
• anxiety states;
• nervous disorders;
• tuberculosis;
• chronic renal failure;
• thalassemia ( blood pathology that occurs as a result of genetically determined insufficient or completely absent synthesis of hemoglobin by the body);
• Crohn's disease ( recurrent chronic disease affecting various parts of the digestive tract);
• acute viral hepatitis;
• a course of drug therapy, including chemotherapy drugs, morphine, codeine or antibiotics;
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
• drug use, including heroin, amphetamine and cocaine;
• cancer of the stomach, colon, blood, lungs, pancreas or ovaries;
• hypervitaminosis ( excessive amounts of vitamin D in the body);
• kidney inflammation;
• influenza condition;
• pneumonia.

Some bad habits can also significantly worsen your appetite. So, for example, it is not recommended to consume either sweets or soft drinks between meals. Often appetite worsens against the background of anorexia ( loss of hunger associated with a neurological disease, hormonal dysfunction or malignancy).

How dangerous is this?

What are the consequences of prolonged lack of appetite?

Loss of appetite during pregnancy

• Walk outdoors as often as possible. After such walks, you will certainly want to eat;
• Make a meal schedule for yourself and strictly follow it;
• buy new dishes that you will like. It is best to opt for red dishes. It's no secret that the color red helps stimulate appetite;
• the table should be set beautifully so that it is pleasant to sit at;
• try not to eat alone. It is best to find yourself a company among whom you will enjoy sitting at the dinner table.

Loss of appetite in infants

The thing is that even the most ordinary change of environment can become a very stressful situation for them. You shouldn’t assume that the little ones don’t understand anything at all. They are particularly sensitive to changes in both climate and their environment. In such cases, try to pay as much attention to the baby as possible. You should only visit a specialist if the loss of appetite is accompanied by a significant decrease in overall body weight.

Loss of appetite in children

Possible causes of decreased appetite in a child

Factors influencing the baby's appetite

2. Seasonal patterns: since in winter the body produces much less hormones, the child eats less, but in the summer the opposite happens;

3. Individual characteristics of metabolic processes: Surely many of you have noticed more than once how two well-nourished children have different body weights, i.e. one of them is getting better, but the other is not. In this case, a special role is given to the amount of food not eaten, but absorbed;

4. Level of energy costs: Regular consumption of food allows you to enrich the body with both all the necessary nutrients and lost energy. It's no secret that children are especially mobile, therefore, day after day, their body loses a fairly large amount of energy. The more energy they expend, the better they eat.

Diagnostic methods

• HIV test;
• Assessment of kidney function;
• Assessment of liver function;
• Barium enema ( x-ray analysis of the colon);
• Blood test;
• Urinalysis;
• Pregnancy test;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate test;
• Study of the thyroid gland;
• Colonoscopy ( visual inspection of the lower digestive tract from the inside);
• Sigmoidoscopy ( examination of the sigmoid colon).

The last two studies are carried out only if a specialist suspects the presence of cancer. In some cases, it cannot be done without the help of a psychotherapist.

2. Strictly follow a specific meal schedule, and do this in the rooms designated for this;

3. When sitting at the dinner table, do not rush in any way. Meals should last from 20 to 30 minutes;

4. In between meals, drink as much liquid as possible in the form of coffee, unsweetened tea or mineral water without gases;

5. Reduce your consumption of both chocolate and many other sweets to a minimum;

6. Regularly consume cabbage juice, which is an excellent appetite stimulant;

7. Eat meat broths or broths as often as possible;

8. Various sauces also help improve appetite, so add them to any dishes;

9. Understand the concept of normal and never overeat;

10. You need to eat often, but in small portions;

11. Carefully review the medications you are taking;

12. Exercise regularly;

13. Eat only those foods that suit your taste.

Medicinal plants

Herbal infusions

Complete loss of appetite or anorexia

Let us note right away that this condition is observed mainly in adolescents. So, for example, almost 50% of girls, whose age ranges from 13 to 15 years, are of the opinion that they need to get rid of extra pounds. All anorexics are haunted by the fear of gaining weight, which is why they may not eat for weeks, despite a number of problems directly related to their health.

• general malaise;
• dizziness;
• fatigue;
• fainting states;
• excessive fragility and dullness of hair;
• blue discoloration of the skin;
• pain and constipation in the abdomen;
• increased sensitivity to cold;
• the appearance of a large amount of hair in the form of a fluff on the body and face;
• complete cessation of menstruation;
• disruptions in the functioning of both the digestive and central nervous systems, as well as the cardiovascular system.

As for the course of treatment for this pathological condition, it involves, first of all, psychotherapy, since this disease occurs against the background of mental disorders. Certain medications are prescribed to patients in limited quantities. Most often, this is a medication called cyproheptadine, which tends to increase total body weight and also act as an antidepressant. Special therapeutic nutrition is also important, which also contributes to a gradual increase in total body weight.