No child's appetite

On a poor appetite a child complains almost every second mother. To which ways parents do not resort to feed a little "nehohuchu": they tell long stories, show favorite cartoons or even arrange theatrical performances.

Causes of loss of appetite in a child

In most cases, appetite is an indicator of a baby's health, but appetite also depends on external factors: metabolic features, lifestyle, motor activity. Agree that between the phrases "the appetite of the child is gone" and "there is no appetite for the child" there is a significant difference. Folk wisdom gives such an answer, why the child has a bad appetite: the appetite of the sick runs, and to the healthy one - it rolls. If a child who has always eaten well, the appetite has sharply disappeared, then the reason for this may be:

1. Viral infection. The first signs of a viral infection are usually malaise, drowsiness and loss of appetite.
2. With otitis, chewing and sucking movements provoke sharp pains in the ears. Check the absence of otitis can be by lightly pressing on the tragus (a small cartilaginous protrusion on the outer ear). A child who willingly takes a breast, but with a cry, throws it, with a high probability, can be otitis. In a healthy baby, this pressure does not cause any discomfort.
3. Cutting teeth, diseases of the mouth (thrush) and throat (laryngitis) can cause a complete lack of appetite. Usually the child can not yet formulate the difference between "I do not want to eat" and "I can not" eat. Carry out a thorough examination of the oral cavity, and if your assumptions are confirmed, feed the crumb of little liquid warm food.
4. Problems with the intestines are often accompanied by a sharp decrease in appetite, especially for babies who start eating complementary foods. A new product can be poorly absorbed by the body, causing bloating, increased peristalsis, or constipation.
5. Coryza. A child with a "hammered" nose can be uncomfortable eating, especially if he is breastfeeding. Regularly rinsing the nose with saline solution and dripping the vasoconstrictor drops before eating, you can make it easier for him to eat.
6. The presence of worms in a child can also affect appetite. To exclude this item, you need to submit a special analysis.
7. Stress. A child can refuse to eat if he feels not only physical discomfort, but also experiences inner experiences. For example, moving to a new place of residence, traveling to an unfamiliar place, going to the garden, the absence of one of the parents - this all too can be the cause of poor appetite in the child.

As a rule, if a child falls ill, loss of appetite will be accompanied by other complaints. Do not rush to feed the baby, watch for several hours before the appearance of other symptoms. If your assumptions are confirmed, then do not worry about the lack of desire to eat, with illness - this is normal.

Lack of appetite in a healthy child

If the child is healthy, cheerful and full of energy, but does not want to eat - this worries parents even more, because there are no visible reasons for refusing food. Very often, the lack of appetite in a child is due to low energy consumption. The child's organism is not yet spoiled by the wrong way of life, unlike adults, so if the baby moves little (especially in the winter season), it is only natural that he needs less "fuel" to cover energy costs.

Even if it seems to the parents that the child is not sitting still and moving, this does not mean that he is spending enough energy to resume. The regime of the day and the way of life are practically the main factors affecting the baby's appetite. A long walk (at least 2 hours) in the fresh air and physical activity during a walk can naturally increase the appetite of a healthy baby.