Nutritional disorders in children – causes and symptoms

Feeding and eating disorders impact around 20% of healthy infants and approximately 80% of infants with developmental disorders that likely complicate the feeding process. These conditions are marked by persistent and disordered eating behaviors that lead to altered food consumption and absorption, significantly compromising physical and psychosocial well-being. If left untreated, these disorders may also present in later childhood.

In infants, feeding and nutrition issues may arise from various factors, including sleep, wakefulness, digestion, and swallowing disorders. These can be accompanied by cardiovascular, respiratory, or digestive system diseases. The child may be drowsy and fatigued, reducing their appetite. Other disorders stem from the child's excessive focus on their surroundings – toys, walks, or sounds may distract them from eating. However, if the child eats after activity, this is not dangerous. Other cases involve an impaired relationship between the infant and parents/caregivers, stemming from postpartum depression, family issues, or addictions. In these situations, the child may refuse food, show disinterest in their environment, and exhibit signs of autism.

In young children, symptoms that may indicate feeding disorders include: insufficient food intake relative to the child's age, lack of hunger signals and disinterest in meals, refusal to eat during family mealtimes, excessive avoidance of eating through crying, screaming, simulated vomiting, coughing; anxiety about swallowing or introducing food into the mouth. These symptoms may stem from traumatic eating experiences, excessive pressure during meals, or forced feeding. It is worth considering whether the child has previously choked, swallowed improperly, or consumed something unpleasant (too bitter/spicy, too soft/hard), which may have led to a fear of eating. Pica – the consumption of non-edible substances such as paints, chalk, clay, plaster, potted soil, paper, insects. The causes of this behavior are not fully understood, but children with pica often exhibit deficiencies in calcium and iron, which they may attempt to compensate for by consuming non-food items. Overstimulation of the oral cavity, such as thumb-sucking and nail-biting, is also observed. Selective eating, or neophobia, involves the child showing interest in only a few foods, such as fries, cheese, and bread. The underlying causes are likely psychological, and consulting a psychologist may help identify the reasons for this selective eating behavior. Children with feeding disorders often suffer from malnutrition, which manifests as lower body weight and height compared to peers, apathy, lethargy, difficulty with physical activity, and sadness. Diagnosis requires observing concerning symptoms for at least a month. Early signs should not be dismissed, as untreated feeding disorders in children under two years old persist in 70% of cases into later childhood.