Myth #1: Eating is the body’s number one priority.
Fact: Breathing is the body’s first priority. During the eating process, we close off our airway briefly every time we swallow which leads to a slight decrease in our oxygen level. Therefore good oxygenation is essential for efficient eating. Postural Stability (ability not to fall and injure one’s head) is the second body’s priority. Eating is only the third priority of our body to thrive and grow, which means if two first priorities are compromised, eating may be resisted.
Myth #2: Eating is instinctive
Fact: Eating is an instinctive process till the age of 3 months, when primitive motor reflexes are responsible for such processes as rooting, sucking, and swallowing. Once the primitive reflexes fade away, feeding becomes a learned process around the age of 5-6 months.
Myth #3: Eating is easy
Fact: Eating is the most complex physical task. It is the only human task that requires every one of our organ systems, which requires all of those systems work interconnectively correctly. For example, one swallow takes 26 muscles and 6 cranial nerves to coordinate the action. Additionally, eating is the only task children perform that requires simultaneous coordination of all 8 sensory systems. Don’t forget about Learning, Development, Nutrition and the Environment that are also essential in integrating into the child’s eating.
Myth #4: Eating is a two step process: 1- sitting down, 2-eating.
Fact: There are approximately 25 steps for typically developing children and 32 steps or more for children with feeding problems involved in the process of learning to eat.
Myth#5: It is not appropriate to touch or play with your food.
Fact: Children always learn life skills through play, and feeding is not an exception. Before food gets into the child’s mouth, it is normal to check it for texture, smell, temperature. Getting messy along the way is an inevitable part of learning to eat.
Myth#6: If a child is hungry enough, he/she will eat and avoid starving himself.
Fact: Although it could be true for about 95% of children, the other 5%, who experience feeding problems, will starve themselves. If they had an adverse painful feeding experience in the past, children will avoid things that hurt, cry and refuse if it doesn’t work. Additionally, medical conditions or stress suppress appetite that over time will affect sufficient calories intake.
Myth#7: Children only need to eat 3 times a day.
Fact: To meet their daily calorie requirements, children would have to eat adult sized meals, should they eat 3 times a day. However, their tiny stomachs cannot and should not handle such amounts of food at a time. Also, their natural attention span at the age of 3-5 years does not allow them to engage in eating for an extended period of time. Therefore, kids should have 5-6 meals throughout the day to get in enough calories for proper growth and development.
Myth#8: If a child doesn’t eat, it’s due to behavioral or an organic (physical) problem.
Fact: Research studies and clinical evidence indicate that between 65-95% of all children with feeding problems present with a combination of behavioral and organic problems.
Myth#9: Certain foods are only to be eaten at certain times of the day, and only certain foods are “good for you”.
Fact: Food is just food. It is not breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, or junk food. Food is either protein, carb, fat, or fiber. Labeling foods good or bad or only to be eaten during a certain mealtime is not helpful in teaching children to eat and to have a healthy relationship with food. If your child eats chicken at breakfast and a buttered toast for dinner – that is ok! Additionally “junk” food often plays a huge role as transition steps in teaching children with feeding disorders to expand their dietary repertoire.
Myth#10: Mealtimes are a proper social occasion. Children are expected to behave properly throughout the whole process.
Fact: Eating comes first, manners come second. Since eating is such a complex and complicated process, it will consume all of the child’s resources to learn it. Allow your child to master this goal before switching to another. Mealtimes should always be a positive experience, when all family members gather around the table, share dishes. Where parents lead by example choosing healthy foods, spending a proper time chewing food before swallowing, and not talking while mouths full.
