Introduce appropriate complementary foods at 6 months of age. Avoid bottle feedig. Do not force food down a child's throat. Respect child's "no". Do not go on coaxing him/her. If a child does not like a particular food, do not insist that the child must have it. Taking one food out of the diet will not adversely affect child's nutritional status. There are several substitutes available. Avoid junk foods. This is applicable to the whole family. Do not give chocolates before meals. Let the whole family eat together. A child may not eat because of sick or because he has food fads.If there is suggestion of an illness in the form of loss of weight , decreased activity, apathy;take him to your doctor for assessment. Do not try to feed him/her forcibly.His illness needs to be treated. That will automatically result in improvement in appetite.The child may have developed certain food fads.It is necessary to break these so that the child can continue to receive good nutrition.It is in his/her long-term interest that he takes proper diet.Avoid forced feeding : This could be counter-productive. Offer him/her nutritions foodstuffs that he/she is fond of. Avoid ego clashes with your child.Encourage the child to sit and eat with the whole family.Let him/her not use this tactic to have his/her way in other matters.If he seems to be doing it for some secondary gain, ignore him/her.He is likely to come around when he feels hungry.
