My 1 year old screams and cries at meal time (75% of meals). Is this normal?

Question

He seems that he hates to eat. It's been like this since the beginning. We don't mind too much that he doesn't eat. He eats what he needs. But how do we stop the screaming? He is already small (in weight)-10%, he's 75% in height.

Answer 1

It's not normal, not the amount of crying he does during meals. You should consult a doctor and confirm that nothing is wrong with him.

Answer 2

Could you be stressing over whether he is eating and he is picking the tension up? Sometimes parents try to "force" their kids to eat, by constantly "shoving" it in their faces and it can put them right off eating. Then they begin to associate meal time as an unpleasant event. Most parents mean well, but sometimes you just have to back off and accept that your child will eat when he is hungry. As long as you are providing ample opportunities to eat and a variety of foods, then I wouldn't worry too much. As they get older they go through growth spurts where they eat like mad and then through periods where they seem to barely eat at all. My advice would be to make meal time more relaxing...offer him food (I'll assume he is eating "finger foods" now...if not you may want to start introducing these as they are more interesting to your child...as my daughter won't touch baby food anymore), let him eat what he likes, if he won't eat, give him something else to do in his highchair whilst you finish up your meal. Keep some toys handy to entertain him...soon enough his association with meal time being stressful will be diminished and maybe he'll be relaxed enough to actually try the food that is being offered.

Answer 3

My first daughter hated the high chair, so we actually used to picnic on a rug on the floor for a while!

The idea of letting him feed himself is a good one. I heard a child psychologist on the radio say "imagine being strapped in a chair. I put a plate of food you may not like in front of you and proceed to try and spoon it into your mouth. I also wipe your face repeatedly with a perfumed wipe, all the time getting more and more stressed as I try to get you to eat. Do you want to eat it?"

Let him have a bit more control. If he screams, get him down from the table - he'll soon let you know if he does want to be back up there. And if he does, then let him get back.

Finally, try really hard not to let it stress you, because food is one of the few areas that children can control, and when they get a bit older it is often a way they can press your buttons and get a reaction from you.

Answer 4

hi, i can really sympathize, my daughter is a very fussy eater, also very slim and tall, i have found its better to just let them eat when they are hungry, (not that it happens very often, and usually off of my plate!!) but to try not to worry, but easier said than done eh, i was advised by my doctor not to make too much of a fuss of mealtimes and to not to get stressed out yourself, as it will increase any anxiety for them, and dont allow them snacks or sweets till they have eaten/tasted some of the meal, no matter what, i reheat my daughters dinner everyday, but she knows now she doesnt get dessert till shes eaten some, i bribe her with smarties hehe, and it works!! persistence on your part has to be stronger than theirs, dont give in, ignore the bad behaviour, praise the good, the screaming may go on for ages at first but it will get better if you stand your ground, i have seen the programmes with dr tanya, she quite regularly has children with food phobias, who scream and make a huge fuss, maybe this could be developing

Answer 5

my daughter did the same thing for about 4 months and now she can't get enough to eat!
just feed him when he will eat and don't force anything on him and he will come around!
you could take him into the doctor and ask their opinion
my daughter was very healthy and my doctor told me no healthy child ever let themselves starve to death she will eat when she is hungry and sure enough she evened out!
just try making mealtime a fun expierence!
get him a cool new plate and spoon that he likes! say a character he enjoys on tv and maybe he will be exicted to see it and use it!

Answer 6

Ignore it. [ check mouth and back of throat first, for any obvious signs of discomfort ].
Give him a tablespoon of each food [ meat, starch, veg, then a fruit ], and give him water with meals so he eats better. If he throws food on the floor, stop him, but as long as he isn't hurting himself, ignore it.
Give him a snack halfway between meals - yogurt with sliced fruit, apple slices with cheese.
Do you eat with him? Or feed him? or sit and have a drink while he eats?
OH! I almost forgot one of my tricks!
Always give them 'dunking sauce', when trying a new food. [ can be yogurt, applesauce, ranch dressing, anything mushy, that he likes. ]

Answer 7

they do say not to make a big thing out of mealtimes they can easily become a battleground - maybe play one of his favourite videos while he's eating so that he does'nt even realize it is in fact a mealtime, maybe he does'nt like being in a high chair? difficult one really - but videos helped me through some of the awkward times like potty raining, and its quite easy to wean them off videos as they get a little older and understand more, good luck and hope i have been of some help?

Answer 8

My daughter used to do this when she having one of those days, weeks, months. I used to play dirty. I would put her favorite DVD in and when she wasn't paying attention shovel food in her mouth. If he has teeth try letting him feed himself things like Gerber fruit and Veggie puffs, pasta pick ups, ect.
I hope that he is still being breastfed or on formula because of his weight.

Answer 9

ignore him when he screams just chat away to everyone as normal and hell soon get fed up with screaming when there is no reaction and loads of praise when he is eating something

Answer 10

try making faces with his meals you know like eggs as eyes, tomatoes as a mouth, spaghetti as hair etc.