Is my child a picky eater or is it something more?

Do you have a child who presents as a picky eater? Have you ever wondered if their difficulties are more than just “picky eating”? Are mealtimes stressful for your family? I'm here to help you!

Many children may be perceived as “picky eaters” while they are figuring out their food preferences. The important thing to understand is when something more may be going on beyond your child being considered a “picky eater”. The chart below describes the general differences between the two. Every situation and child is different. If you have concerns, please reach out for an initial consult, and if recommended, a parent coaching session or feeding therapy.

PICKY EATING	SOMETHING MORE
Limited diet; has more than 20 food items in their repertoire that they will consistently eat.	Restricted diet; eats fewer than 20 food items.
Eats at least 1-2 food items from each food group.	Avoids entire food groups.
Occasional avoidance behaviors, but child is easily redirected.	Frequently displays behaviors that impact successful mealtime (e.g., tantruming, leaving table often, throwing food/utensils, harming self/others).
May stop eating food item but will replace with another item from the same food group, or begin eating food item again, usually after 2-3 weeks.	Eliminates foods without replacing with new option (e.g., stops eating chicken and doesn't replace with another protein); limits food repertoire even more.
Will accept different foods for each meal or a variation of the same food. If a favorite food is eliminated temporarily, child will begin eating it again after a short break (2 weeks).	Food jagging (e.g., only eating cheese pizza for every meal for a period of time then eliminating it completely).
Child may eat a different meal than family members but participates in family mealtimes and tolerates new or non-preferred foods on others’ plates.	Child requires completely different meal and/or mealtime from family. Shows aversion to being around new or non-preferred foods that family may be eating.

There are other concerns that indicate your child may benefit from additional support beyond the variety of food they accept as described above. These concerns include:

• Gagging, vomiting, or choking when eating or drinking or shortly after

• Poor posture while sitting at the table for meals

• Difficulty using utensils within age-appropriate timeline

• Issues with food control involving the mouth (e.g., chewing, closing lips around spoon or straw, drooling, pocketing food in cheeks, etc.)

• Often eating small volumes of food or frequently taking more than 30 minutes to eat

• Only eating certain textures of food (e.g., purees, crunchy solids, fluids)

• Difficulty weaning from a bottle to solid foods

• Transitioning from tube to oral feeding
  

If you have any concerns about your child’s feeding or further questions, please get in touch. When in doubt, reach out!