Felty friends: Mandy Milks, Line illustrations: Anthony Swaneveld, Photo: Roberto Caruso, felt material courtesy of thefeltstore.com
Valérie Marchand, a paediatric gastroenterologist in Montreal, has seen her share of picky kids. If any of these signs pop up, she says, see your doctor.
1. You are concerned about your child’s growth (weight and height).
2. Your child has trouble swallowing: It’s painful, food gets stuck, or he coughs or chokes while eating.
3. Recurrent vomiting.
4. You suspect a food allergy.
5. Food rejection after a scary choking episode.
6. Severe sensory aversions (not just to taste but to texture, consistency, colour and even temperature).
7. Extreme pickiness along with other medical and psychiatric conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases and anxiety disorders.
A version of this article appeared in our November 2016 issue, titled “Give peas a chance,” pp. 86-92.