September 18, 2000
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Vaughn, Washington, USA:
My five year old son seems unusually reactive to food, especially carbohydrates. This has been apparent for at least a couple of years. He is a slightly picky eater which sometimes causes him to go without food for a period of time — say, several hours. Sometimes he naps and wakes grumpy. He can become very agitated, cries, and is difficult to console. If I can get him to eat something, usually something sweet, he seems to recover almost immediately and is then able to eat other things. My husband thinks we should just be firm with him when he is acting out, but I wonder if he has some sort of condition that needs to be addressed.
Answer:
Most of the behaviors you are describing are normal for five year old children. They have a tendency to be quite picky on some days, and, on other days, can appear to be quite hungry. None of the problems you describe sound too concerning to me. I would reinforce good eating habits with your son, and, if you have further difficulties, a dietitian could help you plan for dealing with his changes.
MSB
