Why Fussy Eating Happens
Caroline answers: Why is my child so fussy, when I weaned her at 6 months, she ate loads but now refuses most of the things she used to eat. She's now 20 months old?
This week’s question from our Raising Adventurous Eaters Community:
“Why is my child so fussy when it comes to eating? At six months, she ate a lot, but now, at 20 months, she refuses most of the foods she used to enjoy.”
First of all, it is 100% not your fault. It's common for parents to blame themselves, thinking they've done something wrong to cause this phase. However, a period of fussy eating is perfectly normal and not a reflection of your parenting.
Around 30 to 40% of children, particularly toddlers, go through a fussy eating phase. This typically starts around 18 months to two years, so your child's fussiness at 20 months is right on schedule and this developmental phase is normal, albeit frustrating.
When we consider the things that are going on at this age, it starts to make a bit of sense. Let's consider the factors contributing to the onset of fussy eating:
Brain Development: Toddlers experience significant brain development, second only to the teenage years, so they will experience their world with a different lens than they did even just a few months ago.
Slowing Growth: Around 18 months, a toddler's growth rate slows down. If you're in the UK, your child's red book growth chart will show the curve flattening. This often means that they need less food because they're growing at a less rapid rate than they were previously, which can lead to mistakenly thinking that they're being fussy when actually they just need less food than we are offering them.
Growing Autonomy: Toddlers have a growing sense of independence and are continuously striving for autonomy, which is how they grow and develop, so it's a wonderful thing, but it does make it challenging for us as parents! Toddlers want to exert full control where they can, in particular, in how much they choose to eat and what they choose to eat. Sometimes it can be this need for control that can lead to refusing to eat.
Increased Curiosity: At 20 months, toddlers are more interested in their surroundings than at six months. Their attention span is shorter, and distractions can play a big part in food refusal. That shiny thing over there can be a lot more interesting than the food in front of them!
Neophobia: This is a fear of new things, including foods. Evolutionarily, this response helped our ancestors avoid potentially poisonous foods. While it can be frustrating, it's also a protective mechanism. Neophobia is again a developmentally normal process and may be the reason previously accepted foods are now refused, as your daughter’s brain has changed and she now views the food differently.
Sensory Preferences: As sensory preferences become more defined, this may impact their willingness to eat certain food groups due to texture, smell, colour, etc. A sensory seeker, for example, might prefer crunchy foods, while a child with sensory sensitivities might avoid them. Observing your child's preferences can be helpful.
Notable Life Events: Significant changes, like moving, the birth of a sibling, or other notable life events, can upset a child's appetite and impact their taste preferences. Illness, especially gastrointestinal, can also trigger a period of fussiness.
I hope this information reassures you that your child's fussy eating phase is normal and not your fault. Keep up the wonderful job you're doing, and for more tips and ideas to keep your sanity and encourage adventurous eating, take a look at some of our other resources.
