Parents have a natural instinct to try and feed their children no matter what. The fact of the matter is though that for a few days children can survive perfectly well on a miniscule amount of food. Their growth rate may slow down or they may even lose a small amount of weight during winter illnesses but children who are otherwise healthy should make up for this when they feel better. So, we slave away making elaborate meals to try and tempt our discerning little food critics into eating something, only to have the individual ramekin of shepherds pie (complete with vegetable face adorned with finely grated carrot hair) pushed right back at us untouched. This has to be one of the most frustrating things about parenting. Do they not realise that they would feel so much better if they had a home-cooked, nutritionally balanced meal inside them? The truth is that babies and young children are usually right about this therefore we should be guided by them.

I think the best thing to do is to continue to offer meals and healthy snacks at usual times. If your child has been feverish try to bring his temperature down before a mealtime. He is extremely unlikely to eat much if he has a high temperature and is more likely to vomit. If the food is refused or your child becomes distressed at all, immediately remove the food trying not to let your stress or disappointment show (you can always go to the bottom of the garden later to have a good yell, depending on how well you get on with the neighbours!). Replace the time you would have been feeding your baby with a good cuddle or perhaps a baby massage. Offer him drinks at frequent intervals.

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