Continued from Part Four...

An older child will have his or her own issues. They could exhibit one or all of the symptoms below:

Gorging葉he child will eat until they can hold no more. They will often vomit or be in physical pain.

Hoarding葉he child will hide food in the rooms, or in school backpacks, or random places around your home.

Stealing葉he child will steal food and either eat it right away, or hide it somewhere they deem safe.

Lying葉he child will be dishonest about stealing food, or about how much food they have or haven稚 eaten.

Extreme pickiness葉he child will dislike foods presented to them. They might use it as a power over their new parents to gain sympathy, or simply to manipulate them. They may have been fed bland food in their orphanage and will be unwilling or unable to tolerate a variety of flavors. They may miss their native cuisine and turn their nose up at the food in their new country.

Never feeling satisfied葉he child always feels hungry, whether she or he actually is. The child thinks of food constantly and is unable to wait until the next meal or snack. The child will ask what the next meal is going to be, and might follow the mother around the house asking about or for food.

Fear葉he child is afraid each meal will be his or her last. She or he will carry food around with them as a comfort, or may ask for double helpings before eating anything. This behavior helps reassure the child that there will be more food if they want it.

Food is more than nutrition to the internationally adopted child. It is comfort, security, love, and so much more. It is important to recognize this so that we can help our children gain a healthy relationship with food.

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