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102 - Picky Eating or Normal Toddler Food Refusal? What Parents Can Do - with Dr. Paula Martinez-Mallari
👩⚕️ Guest:
Dr. Paula Martinez-Mallari, pediatrician and gut health specialist, and mom of four!
🍼 Description:
Is your child refusing food, only eating white-colored meals, or taking forever to finish a plate? You're not alone! In this practical and judgment-free episode, pediatrician and mom Dr. Paula explains the different types of picky eaters—and what parents can do about it.
🗣️ Questions We Asked Dr. Paula:
- What's the difference between normal toddler food preferences and true picky eating?
- What are the different kinds of picky eaters you’ve seen?
- Is threatening or bribing kids to eat effective?
- What happens during a consultation with a feeding specialist or pediatrician?
- Why is advice like “just starve them, they’ll eat” potentially harmful?
- What’s food chaining—and how can parents try it at home?
- What are better alternatives to hiding vegetables or bribing kids with candy?
- Is snacking okay?
💡 Key Takeaways:
- There are different types of picky eaters, so there's no one-size-fits-all.
- Food refusal may signal deeper issues, like sensory sensitivity or underlying medical/developmental concerns.
- Strategies such as food chaining can help kids accept new foods by gradually transitioning from familiar ones.
- Avoid bribing or threatening—build positive mealtime experiences instead.
- Watch out for red flags like weight loss, very limited food variety, or mealtime stress affecting family life.
📚 More Resources:
https://discerningparenting.com/what-to-do-if-your-child-is-a-picky-eater/
https://discerningparenting.com/encouragement-for-moms-of-picky-eaters/
✨ Loved this episode?
Subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
⭐ Our book Learning by Heart: Teach Your Child to Read, Stress-Free is now on Amazon! Click here to learn more about Dr. Victoria Nolasco's books.
⭐ Check out our FREE Discerning Parenting Toolkit and Resource Library.
⭐ Find out more about our on-demand courses to guide you through parenting challenges.
🎖️Discerning Parenting is now one of the TOP 20 PARENTING PODCASTS on Feedspot!
The Discerning Parenting Podcast is a free informational resource for parents. As a valued listener, you acknowledge that any information you get from this podcast is for your general guidance only, and must never be considered a substitute for the advice provided by a doctor, therapist, or other qualified medical professionals who know your child specifically. Read our full disclaimer policy here.
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By Victoria Ang-Nolasco, MD👩⚕️ Guest:
Dr. Paula Martinez-Mallari, pediatrician and gut health specialist, and mom of four!
🍼 Description:
Is your child refusing food, only eating white-colored meals, or taking forever to finish a plate? You're not alone! In this practical and judgment-free episode, pediatrician and mom Dr. Paula explains the different types of picky eaters—and what parents can do about it.
🗣️ Questions We Asked Dr. Paula:
- What's the difference between normal toddler food preferences and true picky eating?
- What are the different kinds of picky eaters you’ve seen?
- Is threatening or bribing kids to eat effective?
- What happens during a consultation with a feeding specialist or pediatrician?
- Why is advice like “just starve them, they’ll eat” potentially harmful?
- What’s food chaining—and how can parents try it at home?
- What are better alternatives to hiding vegetables or bribing kids with candy?
- Is snacking okay?
💡 Key Takeaways:
- There are different types of picky eaters, so there's no one-size-fits-all.
- Food refusal may signal deeper issues, like sensory sensitivity or underlying medical/developmental concerns.
- Strategies such as food chaining can help kids accept new foods by gradually transitioning from familiar ones.
- Avoid bribing or threatening—build positive mealtime experiences instead.
- Watch out for red flags like weight loss, very limited food variety, or mealtime stress affecting family life.
📚 More Resources:
https://discerningparenting.com/what-to-do-if-your-child-is-a-picky-eater/
https://discerningparenting.com/encouragement-for-moms-of-picky-eaters/
✨ Loved this episode?
Subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
⭐ Our book Learning by Heart: Teach Your Child to Read, Stress-Free is now on Amazon! Click here to learn more about Dr. Victoria Nolasco's books.
⭐ Check out our FREE Discerning Parenting Toolkit and Resource Library.
⭐ Find out more about our on-demand courses to guide you through parenting challenges.
🎖️Discerning Parenting is now one of the TOP 20 PARENTING PODCASTS on Feedspot!
The Discerning Parenting Podcast is a free informational resource for parents. As a valued listener, you acknowledge that any information you get from this podcast is for your general guidance only, and must never be considered a substitute for the advice provided by a doctor, therapist, or other qualified medical professionals who know your child specifically. Read our full disclaimer policy here.