Won't eat

  My 4 year old won't eat any kind of food that is good for her.  She
  insists on eating junk and sweet snack foods.  I try to give her
  options with healthy snacks e.g. fruits, crackers, etc. but she
  won't eat.  I've tried Instant breakfast for the nutrition but she
  doesn't like them either.  Her weight is on the slight side but is
  not malnutrious.  Vitamins haven't showed any signs of help either.
  Is this a normal trait with 4 year olds?

[HVM Ph.D. - KDK]

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Dear Denise,
There's no doubt that many four-year-olds can be finicky eaters - they'll often want the same foods over and over again and it's not unusual for them to altogether refuse certain foods. And four-year-olds are famous for wanting to 'select' their own menus, if you will. Generally, parents don't have to worry too much about the amount of food a four-year-old eats - 'Mother Nature' will take care of the situation (i.e., they'll eat what their body requires). However, it's important that they be presented with proper foods from which to select, and this may be the bind for you as you deal with your daughter's preferences. It's not a good habit for children to expect that they'll receive junk foods or sweet snack foods as the main parts of their diets. So, while your daughter's behavior is normal, in the sense that she apparently has strong preferences for what she wants to eat, you do not have to acquiesce to her preferences entirely. It's important to set reasonable limits and have some of the foods your daughter likes as part of the foods available to her, but only as add-ons, if you will, to more nutritious fare. She will likely object at first, and she may even refuse to eat. But if you persist with a reasonable plan and offer her some options as the choices develop, she will be able to change her habits. As with many parent/child matters, the degree to which our children change their behavior is directly related to the degree to which we can change our behavior as parents. Remember a simple rule of thumb: Offer your child sensible choices, in sensible amounts and at sensible times.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition.
*Keyword: eating problems