Ever wonder why a 9-month-old will put anything in her mouth and the same 19-month-old refuses to eat anything new? This activity is so common that there’s even a name for it – neophobia or “the fear of new things”.
After observing my patients go through this over and over again I had to ask myself why? And I came to the conclusion kids were actually designed that way.
In this week’s video, I describe food neophobia and why it has an important place in childhood development.
If you have a baby who is still in the “hummm, let’s see what dust-bunnies taste like” phase of life, i.e. about six months old to about the time she begins to walk, here’s some great information to help you keep her from becoming a picky eater. If your child has already entered into the food neophobia phase and has a limited palate, there are ways make changes that will help you and your child though it.
Either way, I’d love to hear your picky eater story.
