Mouse Bites

The most common thing I hear in my clinic is, "My child only eats 3 foods, and I've tried EVERYTHING".  Most of the time not only have the parents not tried slow, gradual introduction of new foods, but the other common mistake parents make is that they try new foods in a sporadic and uncontrolled way.  Some things to remember when trying to introduce new foods to your toddler/picky eater:

1.  SMALL QUANTITIES.  Children are more likely to try new foods when the serving size provided is very small.  Usually, during my feeding sessions I will take a dime sized amount of whatever the parent has provided and present this on a separate plate for the child to "explore".

2.  LET THEM "EXPLORE".  Children are messy, and they enjoy touching their food.  In addition, they learn about the food presented and are more likely to try it when they are allowed to touch it.

3.  "MOUSE" BITES.  Animals are a fun topic when it comes to children and toddlers, and therefore referring to their bite sizes in terms of animals makes it fun and exciting for them.  A "mouse bite" is the smallest bite a child can take to experience how the food feels on their teeth and in their mouth.  One of my patients told me, "Ms. Liz I'm not going to take a mouse bite, but I will nibble."  So, if this is the case, let your child "nibble" and at least begin to bring new foods to their mouth, lips and teeth.

4.  PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.  If you want your child to eat a new food, you need to present multiple opportunities for them to touch, like, kiss, and take mouse bites of that food, before you expect your child to pick up the food and eat it.  It is a very slow process, and every child goes at their own pace.

**Most important tip:  If your child is underweight, has not gained weight, or is loosing weight, it is essential that you contact your pediatrician and get a referral for a feeding therapist.  The longer the feeding aversions have a chance to develop, the harder it is to desensitize and get children to eat new foods.***

If you have special tips that have worked for you and your family, please share a comment with other blog followers, so they can learn from you and your experiences with picky eaters :)