Anyone who works with the families of children who struggle to eat comfortably knows that there are many children who may not grow out of it.
In fact, often children with extreme reactions to food get gradually worse, not better.
Current estimates are that up to 10% of children have issues so severe they will never grow out of them without intervention.
Children may not grow out of picky eating and become adults who struggle around food
I just heard a statistic that gives this perspective. Apparently, 26% of adults in the US self-identify as picky eaters. This means that 1 in 4 children carry their fussy traits through to adulthood. That gives me enormous pause for thought. Especially around the “it’s just a phase” mentality.
Although all picky eaters are different, being an adult fussy eater can be very inconvenient. It can make social occasions and travel challenging and is often embarrassing. Long-term it can affect health outcomes.
If you are concerned, you’re probably right!
Parents are almost always the ones best placed to gauge the level of their child’s discomfort around food. If you think this is more than just a phase it probably is. If you suspect that there is more going on than just a simple preference for their favourite foods, then you are more than likely correct.
A good place to start is a visit to the GP listing specifics about your child and their eating challenges (preferably out of their hearing 😊). If this does not lead to the support you feel you need, looking for other avenues is advisable, especially if you feel your child is going backwards rather than forwards.
Judith is an AOTA accredited picky eating advisor and internationally certified nutritional therapist. She works with 100+ families every year resolving fussy eating and returning pleasure and joy to the meal table.