Feeding

It’s normal and natural for children’s appetites to vary from meal to meal, day to day, and eat in a way that most adults might not consider balanced or nutritious. Most of the time, over a week or a month, most children do eat a variety of foods and nutrients to meet their needs. 

Strategies:

• Focus regular meal and snack times. Try to sit down together for meals whenever possible.
• Mealtimes should be about connection. Use them as a chance to talk about your day. Keep conversation away from nutrition.  
• Parents/caregivers are the example to the child and where they learn about eating and feeding
• Try to choose from the same foods. What you each put on your plate might be a bit different and that’s okay!
• Make opportunities to involve children in cooking and preparing food. 

For more information:

• The Division of Responsibility in Feeding | Ellyn Satter Institute
• Canada’s Food Guide: Healthy eating for parents and children | Government of Canada

Huron Perth Public Health employs registered dietitians  to provide education and support to healthcare providers and community partners on nutrition-related topics. Contact us for:

• information on nutrition programs and services (local, provincial, federal and international)
• fact sheets and local nutrition resources
• support to develop and implement healthy policies and environmental supports
• making connections with other community programs, services, and registered dietitians

The public health dietitian does not provide individual medical advice. Please refer clients to local hospital, family health team and community health centre dietitians who provide counselling services.
Individuals can also contact a dietitian through Health811 via phone or live chat.

NutriSTEP is a 17-item questionnaire that parents can complete at home, or with your help. Healthcare provider can use the toddler (18-35 month) or preschooler (3-5 year) tool to help identify concerns with:

• Food and nutrient intake
• Physical growth, activity and sedentary behaviour
• Developmental and physical capabilities related to eating

Eating disorders are a set of serious mental health conditions that can occur in individuals of all shapes and sizes. You can refer your patient to one of the services available to support individuals struggling with eating disorders and unhealthy weight control practices:

• Eating Disorders Outreach Program | Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA)
• Huron Outreach Eating Disorders Program | Alexandra Marine and General Hospital (AMGH)
• National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)