Review
Learn how crucial Optimum Nutrition is for children's general health and development, as well as their behaviour and IQ, why certain foods are so beneficial and why others are damaging. Identify common problems, such as obesity, food allergies, sleep problems and ADHD, which can be improved or solved with the right foods and supplements. With invaluable advice on getting children to eat healthy food, food plans and practical tips, this book is the definitive guide for parents.
318pp, 152mm x 234mm, softback, 2008

Extract
If your child has developed a taste for less-than-healthy foods, you'll need to change their diet. Does the mere idea fill you with foreboding? Don't worry. Although it can be tough weaning them off double-cheese pizzas and chips with everything, it can be done gradually and relatively painlessly.

No matter where your child's diet is at or what their age, what you need to know is that now is the time to start the journey towards optimum nutrition for your child. Whatever age your child is now, improving their diet will only be more difficult the older they get as they become more set in their ways and independent. It will almost certainly be challenging, but we have lots of tricks up our sleeves to help you move your child along.

Before you begin, let's talk about the project. In the same way as building an extension to your house is a project, improving your child's diet is a project, too. First, you need to know what your aims are. Next, you need to make a plan. If you're getting the builders in, there are certain things you have to do before they arrive. For example, you need to plan the sequence of events, so that when the plumber turns up to install the kitchen, the kitchen units are already on site and so on. During the project there may be times when you can't see the wood for the trees, but in the end, when you've achieved your goal, you'll barely remember the disruption as you stand back and appreciate the results of your efforts.

In the same way, you need to plan the project of improving your child's diet. Your child's diet may need a few minor tweaks or you might be looking at a major overhaul, but either way, you'll need to identify what changes need to be made, what the priorities are and what you're going to tackle first.

Case History: Jerome, age 4
Jerome was brought to see us at the Brain Bio Centre with language delay and other difficulties such as nervousness, hypersensitivity to noise, lack of interaction with others and mild constipation. His mother was aware that children do better on a healthy diet, but despite her best efforts, Jerome ate almost nothing other than crackers, pancakes, cheese, ice cream and baked beans. He had a real aversion to new foods.

Our initial aim was to broaden the range of foods that Jerome would eat. We started by recommending that his mum make up an ice cube tray of pureed red pepper and carrot, and added half a teaspoon of this mixture to his baked beans, gradually increasing the amount over time. We also suggested adding some pureed fruit to his ice cream and, as Jerome would only eat vanilla flavour ice cream, we suggested fresh pear and melon because we were looking for a colour match.

When new foods were put on Jerome's plate, we also asked his mother to keep a list of the ones that Jerome would either touch, lick, nibble or eat. Initially, just touching a new food was a real achievement. Over time with patient encouragement, he would pick up a new food, lick it and put it back down. Gradually, over a period of months, foods slowly moved from 'will lick' to 'will nibble' column and then over to the 'will eat' column on the list.

Meanwhile, the baked beans had evolved into a mixed bean and vegetable stew and the ice cream had developed into a pureed fruit and seed blend. It took many months and a huge effort by Jerome's family, but now he eats quite a variety of foods. He also has a much greater vocabulary, better concentration, more confidence, greater participation and regular bowel movements. His parents are really thrilled with the results and Jerome has even developed an interest in trying new foods!

Jerome's case is extreme, but it demonstrates that even children who are on severely self-restricted diets can learn to develop a taste for a wide range of foods.

From Optimum Nutrition For Your Child, ?2008 by Patrick Holford & Deborah Colson, published by Piatkus.