In order to hopefully treat and prevent recurrence of picky eating we need to understand and — if possible — remove the underlying causes and risk factors. We need to ask: "What else is going on inside the body that might allow picky eating to develop?"
Accurate diagnosis of the factors behind picky eating consists of three steps:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Food Allergies | 90% | Confirm |
Picky-Eater Tendency | 74% | Possible |
Are you a picky eater? In other words, do you refuse to eat certain foods based on their taste, texture, smell, or how they look?
Possible responses:
→ Don't know→ No - I'll eat almost anything! → Slightly - there are a few foods I will not eat → Somewhat - there are many foods I will not eat → Definitely - I will eat only a short list of foods |
Picky-Eater Tendency also suggests the following possibilities:
Food allergies are sometimes addictive in nature, requiring continued consumption of the allergenic food in order to prevent the appearance of withdrawal symptoms. However, eating the same foods over and over increases the likelihood of eventually becoming allergic to them.