“They’ll grow out of it.”

“It’s just a phase.”

“Don’t worry, they’ll eat when they’re truly hungry.”

Sound familiar?

As a parent of a child who struggles to eat, these phrases might be ones you’ve heard before. Picky eating is a common part of childhood. So much so that over 50 percent of parents identify their child as picky at some point in their youth. Therefore, when a child’s diet starts to narrow or their intake dwindles, many can be quick to dismiss concerns about what or how much a child eats.

Yet not all picky eating is created equal. Traditional picky eating is a developmental phase that coincides with the change in children’s appetite, growth, and increasing maturity. It’s fairly common and, importantly, it’s usually temporary.

Extreme picky eating, on the other hand, tends not to spontaneously resolve and it’s often not a result of natural development. Instead, more severe picky eating is usually associated with underlying developmental delays or challenges.

This article, published on Harkla, will help you distinguish severe or extreme picky eating from traditional picky eating behaviors so you can determine how to best help your child learn to eat with ease and enjoyment. You’ll also learn how to manage severe picky eating in kids with autism.

Visit Harkla for the full article.