Toddler have a reduced growth speed after twelve months and preschool toddlers can show temper tantrums, ask many questions, to cause anxiety to the parents. A toddler needs more calories but parent should not worry if the toddler doesn't eat as per your wishes. A toddler needs thirteen hundred calories each day. The food should include balanced amount of minerals and vitamins.
The weight of a baby increase by only 1.5 kilograms to three kilograms after the first year and most of the nutrition goes in toddler's extra activities such as walking and running.
1. Growth Spurts and Plateaus: There are many stages of growth such as growth spurts and plateaus. During plateaus the growth seems to stop. To prevent plateaus, the diet should be changed and parents need to recognize the need for changing in the diets as per the requirement.
2. Food Jag: Many toddlers eat only some varieties of food. Food jag is the condition, in which, he or she refuses to eat a food given previously and insists on taking only one type of food. For example: your toddler may love to eat sandwiches but doesn't like vegetables. The parent should allow the kid to eat as per wishes and not worry until the toddler is gaining weight.
3. Nursing bottle mouth syndrome: Sometimes, toddlers develop nursing bottle mouth syndrome, which is caused if bottle's feed is continued. The syndrome causes teeth disorders and parents should not give bottle milk at bedtime.
4. Food should be given five to six times in a day: The toddler of twelve months has a small stomach to eat huge amount of food in one time. Kids may need food many times in a day and they know when they are hungry.
5. Food should be given only when is hungry: If a kid is forced to eat when not hungry, it may be problematic for both the parent and the child.
6. Food should not choke the toddler: Food given should be mashed and should not choke.
7. Iron rich food should be given to prevent anaemia. Excess of iron should be avoided.
8. A toddler can be given a high fat milk to provide about thirty to forty percent of the daily requirement of calories.
9. The need for calories depends on the weight and height of the toddler. A small kid may need fewer calories.
10. Juices can provide five percent of the calorie requirement. Although, intake of juices should not be encouraged. The need for extra calories can be fulfilled with cereals, peanut butter, bread, vegetables, yoghurt, eggs and banana. Giving too much milk, may fill the tummy and may not leave space for other food items.
11. Food products high in chemicals and preservatives should be avoided.
12. Don't push your toddler to finish food.
13. Don't give too many sweets.
Toddler may not like the kind of food you eat. You may have to prepare something special for the toddler. Food served to a toddler can be one-fourth of an adult. He or she should not be given too much fat to cause obesity.
