Children Find It Difficult To Eat Without Gadgets? Doctors Give Solutions

Illustration of children having difficulty eating (Freepic)

JAKARTA - Not a few parents are unconsciously giving gadgets to their children from an early age, especially when eating. This is often done to keep children calm and want to spend their food.

According to dr.men's Nagani, Sp.A, BMedSc, pediatricians, this habit needs to be changed, because it has a bad impact on children's growth and development.

If we have already given gadgets to children while eating, we are not too late to change this habit. Instead, the sooner we change it, the easier it is for children to adapt to a healthier diet. He revealed this through a press conference event SUN Invites Mothers to Fight GTM with the GLM Method (Food Lahap Movement).

"If we have already given the gadget, we are not at all late to change that habit. So we have to change that habit and it is much easier to change that habit today than tomorrow, so stop it," said dr.men's Nagani, Sp.A, BMedSc, pediatrician, when met on Jl. TB Simatupang, Cilandak, South Jakarta on Tuesday, February 18.

Stopping this habit does require consistency and assertiveness from parents. Children may experience a difficult transition period, but with the right approach, they can learn to enjoy eating without being distracted from gadgets.

One effective way to overcome children's dependence on gadgets while eating is to ensure the right meal schedule.

"Make sure he is really fasting. So, if he is fasting, he doesn't need gadgets and eats well. So empty the stomach for another 2-3 hours," said dr.

By maintaining a sufficient break in eating time, children will feel more hungry so that they focus more on the food without needing additional entertainment. It also helps children to understand hunger and fullness naturally, which is important for the formation of a healthy diet in the future.

Not only gadgets, television should also not be used as a tool to entertain children while eating.

"We don't want our children to be distracted so that forever makes our children happy to eat," said dr.

When children get used to eating while watching television, they become less aware of what they consume, which can cause diet problems in the future. Another problem that often arises is the habit of children stuck with food for a long time.

"If we are distracted, the child will never realize that he is eating again. If it comes up, the number one problem is that the child is not hungry, secondly because of texture. Children often get stuck when food is tough, chewy, can't be eaten," explained dr.

To overcome this, parents need to pay attention to the texture of the food given to their children and make sure they are really hungry before meal time arrives. Providing foods with a texture that suits their age can help them chew more easily and eat well.

One of the consequences of using gadgets when eating is the emergence of GTM or the Mouth Cover Movement, where children refuse to eat and only want to eat certain foods, such as sweet snacks or biscuits.

"This GTM makes our children eat a little and not quality. So if our children eat a little bit, they want snacks, chocolates, biscuits, even though they are still heavy, but if they eat sugar, they can still be stunted. Children still need protein," said dr.

Inequilibrium diets can cause children to become malnourished even though their weight appears normal. Lack of protein and other essential nutrients can inhibit child growth and increase the risk of stunting.