ABSTRACT
Eating problems are very common and cause much parental anxiety and concern. However, growth is not always affected, and it can be monitored in order to see if an eating tendency is affecting growth. Many parents have persistent worries about their baby's feeding pattern or about mealtime behaviour, with around 13% of babies having feeding problems and at least a quarter of five-year-olds being described as faddy. Many children enjoy attracting attention, even if this can only be achieved by being naughty or getting into trouble. Whilst adults may wonder why children should want to be told of, from a child's viewpoint any attention might be preferable to being ignored, and most adults are far more attentive towards a disruptive child than to a well-behaved child who quietly gets on with being good. Many babies are simply not fussed about eating, particularly if hunger never really builds up due to frequent small milk feeds.
