Your Child Does Not Eat Well? Causes, Ayurveda Solutions
“My child does not eat well” is quite a common complaint heard everywhere. Not taking sufficient food is a type of common eating disorder in children. It is called as ‘anorexia’ in medical terms. The problem looks simple, but finding a perfect solution is quite difficult. In extreme cases, the problem may become life threatening with physical and psychological complications. Let us find out the reasons and solutions if your child does not eat well.
Table of Contents
Causes for anorexia in children
- Some children are genetically prone to get anorexia.
- Lack of teaching about eating etiquette
- Excessive indulgence in one particular type of food
- Childhood depression
- Fear towards food are a few causes for anorexia in children.
Symptoms of anorexia in children
- Marked weight loss
- Inability to gain weight in relation to the age,
- Intolerance towards cold objects
- Very low immunity
- Fatigue, Lethargy
- Sweating episodes,
- Stomach discomfort,
- Amenorrhoea (lack of initiation of periods in young girls)
- Depression,
- Hair loss
- Poor wound healing are a few main symptoms that you can observe in the child.
Mainly the weight loss, not gaining weight according to age, depression, and stomach disturbances are the key symptoms to note.
Techniques to improve eating habits
An Indian custom: In Indian customs, there is a technique to improve digestion power in children. (click to read).
Indian herbs: Regular usage of very minimal quantity of Indian spices such as pepper, cardamom, cinnamom, ginger stimulates the stomach, intestines and liver to secrete timely digestive enzymes.
Physical activity in children: Moderate physical activities in the form of outdoor games leads to demand for calories, which makes the child eat properly. But excessive physical activity is a known cause for anorexia. So take care.
Depression cure: If the reason for anorexia is depression or fear, then the parents need to observe the child’s behavior to find out the cause and give them a comfortable atmosphere at home and in schools. Expert help in this is highly necessary. The best medicine to cure depression in children is ‘Hobbies‘
Ghee: In Indian customs, ghee (clarified butter) is given to the child from a very early age. Ghee not only improves digestion, it also improves the intelligence level, voice tone and skin complexion of the child. Even children who are allergic to milk can easily tolerate ghee.
Healthy Eating Habits
- Let the child eat at proper prefixed timings.
- Avoid junk food, aerated drinks.
- Once the child has taken meals, then do not give anything to eat at least for the next two hours. Maintain a healthy gap of 2 hours between meals.
- Identify the healthy foods and tastes liked by the child and prepare similar kinds of foods.
- Include the above mentioned spices in the food. If the child does not like it as such, then they can be mixed into the favorite dishes without the knowledge of child.
- While the child is eating, turn off the TV or video game.
- It is a good habit to eat together with the family.
If the cause for anorexia is genetic, then proper treatment will be required.
Home remedies to improve appetite
1. A small pinch of pepper with ghee after food.
2. A pinch of cumin seeds and Asafoetida mixed with buttermilk and given for drinking. Sugar may be added for taste.
3. Ayurvedic medicines such as Aravindasava, Balamritam etc can be administered to the patient, based on your doctor’s advice.
18 comments
Sahana
Thanks for the informative article Dr. Hebbar.
Anjali
Very helpful points
faritha
Thank you
kumar vijay
thank you very much sir……………
Manju
Thank you.
alka
Hello sir
My son Is 2.5 yrs old but is under weight 8.5 kgs only due to which weak legs and hands holding is not good what to do pls help
Archana
मेरा बेटा age 10yrs हें
बहोत कमजोर और वजन 20kg हें
हमेशा पैर aur हाथो में दर्द होता हें
usaka सभावं चिडचड करताहे
हमेशा सर्दी खासी hoti हें
दिनमे सिइर्प दो रोटी खाताहे लेकिन मनसे नही खाता
कोही सुजावं हें
अर्चना
Krina
My kid 5 years he is just 13kg he eats well but doesn’t gain well his tummy pain everytime he eat
Sandeep
Hi sir my daughter nearly 1 year who not eating properly, and totally stopped drinking milk. I’m in uk.she is very skinny
Sandeep
I already tried bonnisan doesn’t make difference anything else can tried
Dharmesh kansara
My daughter now complet 4 year but she don’t eat well and she’s weight 13 kg kindly give advice for her good health.
madhuri
hello sir. my son 3.5year dont eating well..never interested any foods..mouth me jane se pahle hi muh bna leta hai..low immunity ,,wait bhi kam hota ja rha hai uska..mom dad hum dono paresan hai…pls advice ,ki uska bhuk increase ho..thank u
Ria Oswal
Sir mera beta 3 saal ka hai usne abhi tak khana chabana nahi sikha hai vo sirf liquid hi leta hai vo bhi muje use jabardasti dena padta hai use chabana kaise sikau kuch bhi muh me dala to vo muh me hi rakta hai vo kuch bhi khana nahi chahta pls kuch solution batao
Renifa Rodrigues
My 2 sons age 4yrs and 3yrs old .they doesn’t eat anything. Can u please suggest something for them
Vibha
Hello doctor,
My son aged 6 years doesn’t eat well…Not asking food by himself…We need to feed him…Not eating himself..If we forcing he vomits…Pls help
Salma
My son is 2yrs 2month old not eating anything… N not slping properly n his weight is also only 10kg… Refusing everything to eat… Sometime he ask for food but tht also eat vry less.. pls suggest some good medicine
Mamta
Hello Sir, my son is 9 months old, and weighs 8.5 kg, at 6 months he was 8kgs, he is not eating enough since a month. Recently he rejects milk too, stays on empty stomach for upto 5 hours. He cries if I force feed, also makes vommitting gestures and sometimes vommits during feeding. Please suggest some effective medicine without side effects, considering such a young age. Thank you
Paramasivam
Sir, my 25 months old daughter not eat anything for the past 25 days…we tried giving everything but no improvement..she never opens her mouth for food…please suggest me that makes her to eat