Feeding with love and good sense
By: Barbara Elleman, MHS, OTR/L
In a world spiraling with change all around them, one thing your child can control is what and when they eat. This can be frustrating and heartwrenching for the parents of a child who has recently joined their family through international adoption. Some children make the adaptation to new foods and diets without complication. For others it can be more challenging.
Children might have underlying medical conditions that interfere with feeding skills and need further evaluation. More often, children have a feeding issue that can be corrected with a loving approach and some good sense strategies. Hoarding / gorging food. Some children find it necessary to quickly consume food placed in front of them, resort to tantrums if the food is removed, or hoard / "hide" food for later. Some have not developed self regulation of hunger or "fullness."
- If your child is gorging foods, try offering small quantities at a time, (however, keep food not being offered out of sight to avoid tantrums).
- If your child is hoarding food, try keeping a small amount of a healthy snack available throughout the day (for example, small bowl of cheerios or a small bag of grapes).
- Try to shift the focus away from food and onto interactive bonding activities such as dancing, singing,"pat-acake" or making faces).
- Do not limit calories and do allow your child to experiment with the sensation of satisfying hunger with healthy food offerings.Your child will likely use this opportunity to develop self regulation and become a healthy eater. Food aversions / limiting intake / transitioning to new foods.
A child who refuses to eat can be the most challenging to parents. Children might avoid foods or liquids with an unfamiliar odor, taste or texture. - Never force feed. Encourage and offer foods frequently in a calm consistent manner.
- Try offering familiar foods along with new foods.Make a game of alternating the foods.
- Provide lots of praise and encouragement with attempts to eat and don't give attention to refusal to eat or drink.
- Allow the child to make choices about the meal and participate in the preparation. Even toddlers can select foods to put on the plate or dip foods.
- Introduce new foods in small quantities and over a period of four to seven days.
- Begin feeding with a playful game to "wake up the mouth" (i.e. play gentle "pat-a-cake" on the cheeks, allow your child to use a toothbrush along gums and teeth prior to eating, sing songs while tapping on child's lips, blow bubbles or play with a straw).
For any child experiencing difficulty with feeding following international adoption, it is important to consult your physician and international adoption specialists to identify recommendations specific to your child's needs. In some cases, additional consultation by a feeding specialist, gastroenterologist, feeding team or therapist may be necessary. However, feeding your child with a loving approach and a little good sense will go a long way to initially forming mealtime routines and relationships. If you have questions or concerns about feeding your internationally adopted child, contact the specialists at the International Adoption Center.
