In certain cases, small children often show symptoms that are enough to make parents panic, such as when they are reluctant to eat and refuse when invited to consume anything. This is a quite normal condition and is often found in children under five years old. However, it is important for parents to understand what is the root cause of this phenomenon and how to overcome it.

Reasons why children don't want to eat

At the age of 6 to 9 years, children will experience a fairly normal phase where they refuse to eat. This is caused by many reasons, some of which are explained below:

1. Eating Trauma
   
   One of the reasons why young children feel reluctant to eat food is because they have food trauma. A pediatrician, namely Dr. Frieda has explained that when parents force a child to eat even though the child has refused, this can cause the child's trust in their parents to decrease.
   
   Parent if you force your child too much it will make your little one feel scared and even traumatized in more severe cases, because he feels that eating is an unpleasant process at all. Therefore, as a parent, it is better not to make your child feel forced to eat and to invite him with gentle invitations.
   
   
2. Picky Eaters
   Another habit of children that is often encountered is when your little one becomes someone who is picky and a picky eater. Generally, children who are picky eaters will find it very difficult to consume food and are only willing to eat one type of food.
   
   Picky eatersThis is a fairly normal phase for young children to experience, but if it is not treated immediately, this can have a negative impact on the child's development. The cause of a child being a picky eater can also be caused by parents forcing the child to eat, so that the child's ability to recognize hunger or fullness begins to disappear.
   
   
3. Indigestion
   Another reason that can make a child refuse to eat is because it turns out that your little one has digestive problems. One disorder that is quite often found and experienced by young children is increased stomach acid, which is often indicated by symptoms of a bad taste in the mouth or brief complaints of heartburn.
   
   This condition of increased stomach acid occurs when the contents of the stomach rise into the esophagus, causing the child to vomit. Not only that, but there are other cases when stomach contents only rise towards the esophagus, causing breathing problems or stomach ulcers.
   
   
   

How to Deal with Children Who Have Difficulty Eating

To deal with children who have difficulty eating, parents must give their children their full attention. There are several ways that can be applied to do this, such as the methods below:

1. Change the Dining Scene
   The first step that parents can take to help children who have difficulty eating is to change the eating atmosphere. When children feel burdened to the point of being afraid when they have to eat, then of course this can have a bad negative impact so parents have to change this.
   
   Try to make the eating atmosphere more relaxed and relaxed, such as allowing children to eat independently even though they are still under supervision. Let your child eat messily, and try to provide help to your little one only when they are experiencing serious difficulties and need help.
   
   
2. Limit Distractions
   When inviting your child to eat, try to limit other objects that could be a distraction. Avoid allowing children to watch television, cell phones or tablets while eating because this can make them lose interest in eating food.
   
   Encourage children to always focus on their food by inviting them to communicate and giving them full attention. Apart from that, make sure that the eating atmosphere is not stressful so that the little one and the parents can enjoy the eating process well.
   
   
3. Offer New Foods
   Another way that can be done to help overcome this problem is to offer your little one new food. Generally, if small children are given the same menu every day, they will feel fed up and bored so they will be reluctant to eat regularly.
   
   Parents can invite their little ones to choose the menu they want to consume themselves, and even invite them to help prepare the food they like. Introduce new menus to your little one many times on different occasions, then try not to force your child if your little one doesn't like it.
   
   
4. Be a Positive Role Model
   Young children have a habit of imitating the adults around them, therefore parents must be good role models. Model good habits such as not refusing food in front of children or trying food that has been served so that children follow suit.
   
   
   

Conclusion

There are so many things that make children feel like they don't want to eat at all. Here are several ways that can be applied to overcome this:

1. Give your little one new food or menus so they don't get monotonous
2. Be a good role model
3. Make the dining atmosphere more comfortable

These are some of the causes and ways to deal with children who have difficulty eating. By applying some of the methods above, it is likely that children will become more diligent eaters.