Common problems
Faddy eating and food refusal
Many children go through phases of refusing to eat certain foods or refusing to eat anything at all. This is particularly common for children up to the age of five years, and is a normal part of growing up and asserting independence. Children will not harm themselves if they do not eat for a short while.
Offer regular meals and snacks rather than allowing the child to 'pick.' Make mealtimes fun! Use brightly coloured plates, present the food in an attractive way and try to remain calm and relaxed.
Always inform the parent or carer if the child has not eaten properly during the day. Recommend that if the problem persists they seek advice from their health visitor, doctor or dietitian.
Weight
If you notice a rapid change or fluctuation in a childs weight and you work as an early years professional, you will want to talk this through sensitively with the childs parent or carer. The loss or gain may be caused by a number of reasons and it is recommended parents and carers seek advice and support from a health visitor or doctor who may be able to advise or check for any underlying reasons.
If the weight loss or gain is caused by diet, parents and carers can make changes to the childs meals and snacks by making them as nutritious and balanced as possible. This can be done by either cutting down on snacks, particularly sweets and chocolate and giving sugar-free or no added sugar drinks for children experiencing rapid weight gain or by trying to make all meals and snacks as nutritious and calorific as possible for children experiencing weight loss.
Allergies
All staff should be aware of which children suffer from an allergy and to which food and of the policy regarding first aid and administering medication. All staff involved in the care of that child must be aware of the foods and ingredients being offered to the child. Care must be taken in the preparation and serving of food not to cross-contaminate food being served to a child with an allergy. If you ever notice swelling of a child's mouth or face or breathing difficulties when eating, seek medical advice immediately. Symptoms such as a rash or vomiting after eating may also suggest that there has been a reaction to a food. Always inform the parent or carer. Never diagnose allergies yourself or cut out foods without medical advice, as this may compromise the quality of the diet and result in nutritional deficiencies.
To lessen the risk of peanut allergies, peanut-containing foods should not be given to children under three years of age if the child has a parent or sibling with a diagnosed allergy. Whole nuts should not be given to any child under the age of five years because of the risk of choking.
Diarrhoea
Episodes of diarrhoea are fairly common in young children. Often the culprit, if dietary related, is large quantities of fruit, fruit juice or sugary foods and drinks. Avoid these foods for a couple of days and gradually re-introduce. Make sure the child drinks plenty of water or milk to avoid dehydration. Advise the parent or carer of the problem and recommend that if the diarrhoea is prolonged, they should seek advice from their doctor or health visitor.
Constipation
Another common problem in young children is constipation. Offer a few higher fibre foods like wholegrain breakfast cereal or stewed or dried fruit. Make sure the child drinks plenty of fluids at the same time to avoid making the situation worse.
Establishing a food policy
If your nursery or playgroup does not already have an existing policy on food and nutrition, it can be helpful to design and implement one. Existing policies may need to be reviewed to ensure that all aspects of food and nutrition throughout the day are considered, thus establishing a whole setting approach to food. National nutritional standards for lunches provided in nurseries have been legislated. Establishing a food policy for your setting can help to implement these standards. A food policy is a shared, evolving document for parents, carers and staff. It expresses a common vision of the ethos, status and role of food within your setting. It encourages all aspects of food to be brought together, clearly, coherently and consistently.
For further information on establishing a food policy visit www.nutrition.org.uk.