Since the most basic motherly impulse is to nurture, mothers particularly will worry and feel inadequate when their children reject the food they provide.

This, according to Dr Amos Odiiti, can be due to either sickness, both physically and psychologically, or it could even be normal depending on the child. “Some children reject food because they don’t need to feed.
There are children whose metabolism rate is high and thus use up a lot of energy; these will feed a lot more than those whose bodies preserve their energy,” he explains. For the latter, the doctor advises that a parent ensures that the small amounts the child feeds on are balanced so that they benefit from whatever little they eat. If the child has always had a normal appetite however and suddenly loses it, then it could be because she/he is sick.
“The most vulnerable as far as food and appetite are concerned are the infants below one year who are also more susceptible to illnesses and infections like malaria, sores, even colds and coughs which affect the appetite a lot,” says Dr Odiiti. The adolescents will most likely refuse to eat because of body image problems while some toddlers could reject food simply to seek your attention if they notice you care when they feed.
Feed them instead of leaving them to feed by themselves in this case. Take advantage and make them eat. Before you can help your child however, Dr Odiiti encourages a proper assessment by a doctor to determine the actual cause of the problem.
It could be the parents’ problem that the child is not feeding, for instance if a toddler is traumatized by separation from the mother especially for purposes of weaning. Most likely, the child will refuse to eat to express their psychological torture, which could later result in permanent poor feeding habits,” he says.
Feeding children on lots of junk and sweetened snacks just before the meals could result into not eating when it comes to the main meals.
“These foods affect the appetite, so the onus is on the parent to ensure that there is enough time between when a child takes a snack and the main meal so that he gets hungry enough to want/need the main meal,” he advises.
For the picky eaters, a parent should ensure that they choose from the nutritious meals. “You can use persuasion and not coercion for the younger children because then, food will become more of an enemy. For the older ones, use explanations and discussions, asking them what they know from which you can tell them what is right and wrong,” he says.
Let children eat alone on their individual plates too, to help you monitor who eats how much and avoid the competition between those with more energy needs and those with less need to feed. Besides, you will have to be able to identify their different feeding needs and habits if you are to help them.
(Source: monitor.co.)