How I got my child to catch up on lost growth

Ansh, my son, was eating well till about the age of four. And then after his first taste of colas and chips – and yes pizza and fries, he turned into a food rebel, but only rebelled against healthy, regular food! Dal, subzi, roti just was not acceptable to him – and I had to feed him instant noodles many a time, just to have that satisfaction that he has eaten ‘something’. As he grew older, the problem grew bigger too! When he turned 7 years, not only was he underweight but also few inches less to in height (as per the growth chart). This is when I grew desperate for solutions – and I found them too! Here’s a gist of my learnings… trust me, I have tried-tested each of them. They work! 
 

This is how I ensured that my child caught up on lost growth… 
 

1. His favourite dish BUT my choice of ingredients: This one was tricky. While researching online on fussy eaters, I gathered that fussy eaters are sensitive to texture – meaning they may out rightly reject any texture they are sensitive to. In my case I found that my son is sensitive to soft textures. Yes! It took some observation. You bet it did but it was worth the finding:  No wonder he didn’t like tomatoes, banana but at the same time he relished grapes and mangoes. So I started feeding him more of the texture he liked. Then I realised that even while eating his favourite dishes like pasta, he would leave the veggies and gobble up the rest! So I started grating the veggies before using them to make his favourite pasta – and it worked! This way, he gets his daily dose of nutrition from the food he loves to eat.  
 

2. Non-negotiable! Minimum one nourishing health drink/day: Milk is good – and is better with topped with advanced nutrition. So I looked around for options – and I tried Horlicks Growth Plus; it said it had an advanced nutrition formula can help a child to catch up on lost growth – this is exactly what Ansh needed! My learning: Giving that one daily nutritional solution to my child can go a long way to ensure his/her healthy growth and development.  
 

3. Fruits are a must – either as fruit cream or chaat! One seasonal fruit is a must for a child – infact experts say 3 servings of fruit a day! But this one I have tackled easy. Just blend the fruits in a milk shake and top it up with some nuts or even cream is nice or make fruit desserts or yummy fruit chaat (mind you: with the fruits that Ansh likes) – I went online and found some super fruit and nut cake recipes – healthy and perfect to satiate those sugar cravings of your child (sugar is replaced with honey). These are devoured in a jiffy!  
 

4. The 2-hour rule: As your child grows, s/he will most probably eat at less frequent intervals. With Ansh, I started the 2-hour rule (which excludes nap and sleep time). So I was feeding my son every 2 – 2.5 hours and that included 3 main meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner along with the healthy snacks that included – the nourishing drink (as mentioned above); fruit preparation and yes, egg too. I figured fussy eaters would eat smaller portions with more ease! 
 

5. Sugar and salt intake to be less: Sugar and salt intake has to be minimum. No aerated beverages. No tetra packed juices.  Steer away from junk and oily foods that carry empty calories and even though are quick and easy to prepare. Some common snacks I give Ansh are eggs (boiled/scrambled with cheese: depending on his mood), dairy items like fruit yogurt or custard with fruits, makhanas (roasted) etc.   
 

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and recommendations expressed in this article are of Swati Nitin Gupta and intended as an educational aid. This is an awareness drive powered by Horlicks Growth Plus to help your child catch up on lost growth. Horlicks Growth plus is clinically proven to show visible signs of growth in six months. You are encouraged to obtain professional advice concerning specific health / medical matters.