Brief Answer:
Children can be fussy eaters. You have to coax them to eat.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your query.

Your average 1-2 year old needs 1,200-1,400 calories a day. High calorie foods such as biscuits, crisps etc contain many calories.

Diet chart:
Whole grain cereal or oatmeal with milk
Bite-sized pieces of leftover cooked beef or chicken and soft cooked vegetables
Milk or yogurt-based fruit smoothies in an open cup
Yogurt with pieces of soft fresh fruit
Applesauce with whole grain crackers or roti
Rice and raisin pudding made with milk
Sandwich triangles made with egg, tuna, chicken salad, or easy-to-chew meat
Hummus, whole wheat pita and soft cooked and cooled vegetables
Soft cooked short pasta noodles, cooked pieces of fish and peas
Cream of wheat, oatmeal or other whole grain cooked cereals with mashed fruit
Homemade pancakes or waffles topped with thinly spread nut butter and fruit XXXXXXX omelets or scrambled eggs with cooked vegetables or fruit and toast
Cooked tofu pieces, sweet potatoes and whole grain short pasta noodles
Congee or rice porridge with small pieces of meat, chicken, or fish
Soft tortillas filled with beans or ground meat and tomato sauce
Vegetable, split pea, or bean soup served with crackers or a whole grain bun
Fish chowder with bread sticks
Home-made macaroni and cheese with tuna and peas
Whole wheat pasta with tomato or meat sauce
Chicken, beef, pork, or tofu cut in small pieces stir-fried with soft cooked vegetables and rice
Rice or pasta and small pieces of tender beef with cooked vegetables
Baked beans with soft taco or whole grain toast
Chili, dal or lentils with chopped tomatoes, rice, roti, whole wheat or corn bread
Soft veggies, tomato sauce and grated cheese on a whole wheat pita, pizza shell or English.

Ways to make her feed:
* Always offer 2 x courses (1 x savoury & 1 x sweet) even if the main meal is not eaten.
* Develop a routine of 3 x meals and 2 healthy snacks a day avoid high saturated or trans fat, high salt, high sugar commercial items which are low in nutrients but high in calories and fill them up.
* Be positive about food and praise your LO when they do eat.
* Children often accept small tastes of alternatives from somebody’s else’s plate even if they won’t eat it on their own plate.
* Arrange for your LO to eat with other children as often as possible
* keep offering the finger foods. Toddlers eat better if allowed to feed themselves with their fingers and not be spoon fed.
* Too many high calorie drinks in between meals can fill a child up.
* Only offer one new food at a time and serve a new food with a familiar food.
* When offering new foods remember a “taste “can be as small as half a teaspoon.
* Have meals in a calm atmosphere with the TV off and no distractions.
* Don't let meals drag on too long, 20-30 minutes should be plenty.
* Change the venue for your meal from time to time, maybe a picnic or similar out in the garden or the park now with the good weather.

Hope that helps.
Regards

---

Brief Answer:
Visit a pediatrician, get her checked; keep the food items palatable

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.

Although children can be fussy eaters, the fact that the problem is of recent onset, bothers me. Not much can be made out from the details that you have mentioned. The child needs to be examined and assessed. I would suggest you to take her to a pediatrician and to get her examined to rule out an infection. An infection could be the cause as children often do not feed well if they are unwell.

It could also be that the gums of your child are sore from teething and hence the child does not like to eat.

However, if the child is otherwise active and taking selective items normally, it is more likely to be a simple matter of taste. The items like suji, halwa, fish stew etc. are bland items and not quite palatable. I think that you should make the food items in such a way that you yourself find them good to eat. Discussing the matter in detail with your pediatrician should help. Depending upon the cause, he would also be able to suggest how to deal with the matter. On a general note, I have already mentioned the things to be done.

Hope that helps.

Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das

---

Brief Answer:
It should be ok in 5-10 days

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.

Glad to know that what I said, has been confirmed by your local doctor. It is quite common for children to catch cold. Most of the times it is due to a viral infection. It should subside on its own in 5-10 days. Since the child is otherwise active, there should not be anything to worry about.

Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das

---

Brief Answer:
Aversion to food more likely due to sore throat.Abortion pills less likely

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking back.

As you mentioned that the child has a throat infection, it is likely that the child has the impression that she would get a painful sensation when try tries to take-in the food. That could be the reason for the child averting from the sight of spoon. It is hard to comment whether the appetite has come down or it is simply to avert pain, but I feel more in favor of the latter.

Most abortion pills contain misoprostol and mifepristone. Although clinical studies about safety in pregnancy are limited, they have not been shown to be harmful during breast feeding. Generally a reduced dose of mifepristone is suggested during breast feeding. I do not think that the present scenario is due to this medicine but frankly speaking it is hard to make a definite comment as clinical studies are inadequate.

Hope that helps.

In case you found my answers helpful, I would appreciate if you close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.

Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das

---