Red Flags for Progressing to Extreme Picky Eating

Typical picky eating can also progress to extreme picky eating which is accompanied by nutritional deficiencies and social challenges, especially in children ages 0-3 years. These children often have some of the following “red flags”: 

• Your child spent time in the NICU and required a newborn feeding specialist (feeding interventions, NG tube, etc.)
• Your child experienced more than one incident of nasal reflux (vomiting or spitting up out of their nose)
• Your child frequently chokes, coughs or gags on liquids
• Your child has had a negative experience with food (excessive gagging to the point of vomiting, choking, or prolonged pain with eating related to a chronic sickness or medical condition)
• Your child routinely “pockets” food (holds food in their mouth without swallowing it) while eating
• Your child avoids all foods in a specific texture (wet, squishy, crunchy, etc.)
• Your child is upset or cries often around food?
• Your child has ongoing poor weight gain (dropping percentiles on the growth curve) or weight loss
• Your child’s healthcare provider has concern about your child’s growth
• Your child gets anxious or avoids social gatherings due to a concern with eating foods
• Your child has very strict brand preferences (like only eating hamburgers from one restaurant)
• Your child was picky before 11 months old
• Your child has a biological parent with extreme picky eating or fear of foods

If your child has two or more red flags for extreme picky eating and they are age 0-3 years, now is the time to take action! If you have the capacity to address your child’s eating, we recommend doing it as soon as possible. The younger a child is the more likely they are to make faster progress and prevent the progression to extreme picky eating. Catching picky eating between ages 0-3 years is the ideal, but after that is fine too.

For children with red flags for extreme picky eating, we recommend the BetterBites® Picky Eating Program. It will help you incorporate basic feeding therapy techniques into your lifestyle, in addition to the best practices for child feeding, which can help prevent the progression to extreme picky eating. Cohort enrollment occurs monthly and you can join the list here to be sure to get upcoming program enrollment information. The program is affordable ($49 three times or $145 one time), flexible, and parents using the program see so much benefit.

Join the BetterBites Picky Eating Program waitlist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the BetterBites Picky Eating Program and the Toddler and Child Feeding Course?

The BetterBites Program teaches best practices in child feeding as well as feeding therapy techniques to parents. Incorporating feeding therapy techniques is what can help prevent the progression to extreme picky eating for kids who are likely to become extreme picky eaters since “best practices” in child feeding alone aren’t usually enough for these kids. The BetterBites Program also includes nutritional assessment tools, meal planning education from a registered dietitian, and a moderated online community.

The Toddler and Child Feeding Course is a fun way to learn the best practices in child feeding. Learn more about how much your child should be eating, how to handle mealtimes, and how to handle snacks and dessert. The best practices can help typical picky eaters expand the number of foods they eat. 

I’m already “doing all the right things”, what is in the BetterBites Program that I haven’t seen on social media? 

We do not share feeding therapy techniques taught in this program on social media. Usually parents are not using the feeding therapy techniques provided by our occupational therapist. This program also includes a nutrition assessment to get an idea of whether your child is at with their nutritional intake, materials to help implement the feeding therapy techniques, and a moderated community with input from registered dietitians, occupational therapists, and other specialists as needed.

Do I have to do something? 

It is always up to you to prioritize what your family needs. Some families determine that they have other pressing priorities. Other families decide that preventing the progression of picky eating is a priority due to their child’s risk of extreme picky eating. We find families sometimes use the BetterBites Program in “pieces.” For example, some parents start by listening to (or reading or watching) the lessons in the program to start working on the best practices while they are washing the dishes or cleaning up. Then they start to add in the easy feeding therapy techniques. If that is not enough, they can add in advanced feeding therapy techniques. 

Is a financial hardship option available? 

We provide need-based scholarships. Please contact us for more information.

*This screener cannot and should not be used to diagnose a medical condition. If you suspect your child has a nutritional, medical, developmental or any other concern, consult with your child’s qualified healthcare provider.