One of the main tasks of parents is to instill in their child the skills necessary for later life - for example, teaching their child to chew. For adults, this process seems simple and natural, because we chew food for many years and don’t even think about the fact that we need to be specially trained to do this. And the child is accustomed to suckling, so even liquid puree for him is a new, unfamiliar food, which should be studied gradually.
Dependence on diet
In the first months of his life, the baby feeds on mother's milk, receiving from it all the substances necessary for development. Therefore, the main reflex that is formed in him during this period is sucking. Also, children are characterized by gag and protective reflexes, due to which solid pieces of food are repelled if they accidentally enter the mouth.
Such reactions become weaker after the baby has crossed the line of 4-6 months (the exact age depends on the individual developmental characteristics of the child). Pediatricians advise that it is during this period that you begin to introduce complementary foods into the baby’s diet, gradually accustoming the baby to more solid foods, developing in him the skill of transitioning from sucking to chewing.
The next step is solid food in pieces; it should be introduced into the menu after the child reaches 6-7 months. It is at this time that his first teeth begin to erupt, making him want to scratch his gums with a hard object, so carefully introducing small pieces will come in handy.
If your child won't eat solid food...
One day, a mother of two wonderful children (at her request, I will omit the names) came to me with an alarming message that her youngest daughter, at 3 years old, refused to eat solid food in pieces (she was afraid to swallow).
Since this problem is quite interesting, because it relates more to the psychology of a child’s perception of a particular situation (provided that physical health leaves no doubt), I agreed to our meeting.
A consultation was held via Skype, during which all issues were worked out, including the girl’s medical history, her psychological and physical development, as well as the system of relationships in her family.
Now I am glad to share with you the review of the girl’s mother and her results. I think she’d better tell you what she had to go through, seeing her daughter’s refusal to eat what she used to love. This is beyond the power of almost every loving and attentive parent. To her credit, my mother followed all recommendations diligently and was easy to work with. And I thank her for her openness.
Hello, readers of the blog “Your Child Psychologist”!
I would like to express my deep gratitude to Tatyana for her invaluable help in my situation.
I am an ordinary mother of two children – a son (6 years old) and a daughter (3 years old). I will say right away that I was prepared for hysterics, but I was not at all prepared for the fact that my child would not eat and fell into a stupor. My daughter refused to eat rough food - she only drank (and only fruit kefir, drinking yoghurts, tea and juices). The reason, according to the striker
