Is there cereal on hair and the bowl on the floor? Well, seems like your infant is rejecting the food. Kids are born with the tendency to reject new food, “poor feeding’ is a term used to describe a situation where infants are not interested in eating or they are not getting enough nutrients to fulfill their growing requirements.
Children having trouble to hold liquid and food in their mouth is quite normal and temporary. Babies refusing to eat something are called picky eaters, but being a picky eater and having poor feeding are two different situations.
How do you know if your baby has a feeding problem or disorder? Some common red flags include:
• Refuses to eat and drink
• Isn’t gaining weight or growing as expected
• Cries or fusses when feeding
• Regularly takes a long time to eat (more than 30 minutes)
• Arches back or stiffens when feeding
• Drools a lot, coughs or gags when feeding
• Falls asleep or isn’t alert when feeding
• Avoids foods with certain textures
• Has a hoarse or raspy voice during or after feeding
• Has problems chewing and swallowing
• Has trouble breathing while eating and drinking
• Frequently spits up or vomits
No matter the precise cause of poor feeding, under nutrition is a top concern. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) Trusted Source estimates that 45 percent of child deaths are related to under nutrition.
Feeding issues can also put infants at risk for dehydration, aspiration, pneumonia or other lung infections, and delayed physical and mental development which can lead to speech, cognitive and behavioral problems.
The earlier the problem I diagnosed the earlier it can overcome. It is highly important to visit a pediatric and keep a regular check with them.
While the usual treatment includes trying different foods or textures, medicines for reflux, changing the temperature of food, changing your child’s position while eating, changing the feeding schedule.
If you think your baby is having trouble with feeding, let your child’s doctor know right away. While feeding problems are usually minor, your doctor will want to rule out an underlying medical issue.
References:
• https://www.eehealth.org/blog/2019/11/feeding-disorder/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/poor-feeding-in-infants#emergency
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