Loss of appetite in baby

Introduction

How to know why our baby refuses food? It is a very difficult question, because a baby cannot tell us what is wrong. In order to understand what can be the cause of losing appetite in a baby, we must first understand how human appetite functions. Hormones serotonin and leptin are in charge of telling our body when it is time to eat and when it is time to stop. Baby’s system is not developed fully, so that information cannot be transferred in a proper manner. It is one of the causes for the lost appetite in a baby. The other one is much simpler and relates to the baby's taste. Even though, the baby is so small and cannot speak , it has its own taste and can decide what kind of food he/she likes and what doesn’t. If you want your baby to start eating, it is good to put something sweet in baby’s food, as everybody likes sweet.

Tips

There are some useful pieces of advice that can help your baby to enjoy the food. It would be good if you tried cooking aromatic food, because it can set on hunger reflex, which is very complicated neurological response to stimuli. Or, you could try with small amount of ginger that is sweetened with honey.

Reasons for the loss of appetite

If you encounter the loss of appetite in your child occasionally, you must understand that it is completely normal and you don’t have to make a big fuss about it. One of the reasons for that can be reduced need for food, but, on the other hand, it may mean that your child has some conditions (mouth sores) that are hurting him, and therefore every activity that is related to opening of the mouth is being avoided. The reason for loss of appetite can be of a psychological nature as well. A child may be seeking for an attention and refusal of food can help in receiving more attention from its parents. It is important for a child to advance in height and weight, but if not, it can be an indicator for some more serious condition whose symptom is, among others, loss of appetite. If it is followed by a fever, diarrhea, or sore throat, it is advised to visit a pediatrician, so that he could diagnose the condition and start treatment. Try to motivate your child to eat. Find out what is favorite taste of your child and you can try giving with smaller meals, staying with it until the whole portion is eaten, because they are in a period when their attention lasts too little and they get distracted very often and quite easily.