How to manage appetite in children
Ritah Mukasa
Journalist @New Vision
__________________ Eat with your child
Parenting a child who doesn’t want to eat, can be daunting. You stress and wonder what you did wrong and then struggle to improve your appetite, sometimes in vain.
Prossy Kambedha a stay-at-home mother has been through a rough patch with her two daughters who are four and six years old.
She has to force them to eat but they gag whenever they see food.
“My daughters’ immunity is worryingly low and the young one looks malnourished. We are always in and out of hospital and this breaks me,” she says.
Judith Babirye Mukwanya, a nutritionist with Medical Teams International says, there are periods when children lose appetite due to issues like anxiety and stress, food allergies, sickness, being inactive, and changes in routine among others.
The easiest way to boost a child’s appetite is to maintain breakfast. Do not skip it because it’s important to a child.
If they start the day with a healthy breakfast, it helps to boost their metabolism hence being active throughout the day.
Also, serve them small but frequent meals, making sure the food includes what they love. Most importantly, the diets should have zinc and iron foods to stimulate their appetite. Such foods include; mushrooms, vegetables like spinach, dairy products, beans, and pumpkin seeds. You can also give them your yogurt, peanuts, strawberries, avocado, and eggs.
It’s also advisable to limit snacking lest it spoils a child’s appetite for meals. They can only snack in between lunch and dinner.
Twaha Yabata, another nutritionist suggests involving children in food preparation to interest them in eating what they prepared. Also, ensure they participate in outdoor activities to burn calories and feel hungry. Try to limit screen time and introduce activities like swimming, running, or cycling.
“You should also eat with your children and encourage them to drink water, especially in the morning to rehydrate their bodies,” Babirye advises.
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