Preschooler Nutrition: Information for Your Pediatrician

Use this questionnaire to help you determine how your preschool-aged child is progressing and identify any concerns you may want to raise with your pediatrician during your next office visit.

How Is Your Child Currently Doing?

• How is your preschooler’s overall health?
• Does your preschooler seem to have an abnormal appetite?
• What foods does your child routinely refuse to eat?
• Does your preschooler demand certain foods?
• Does your child eat meals and snacks at regular times?
• Is your child physically active, particularly when compared with other children the same age?
• What activities does your preschooler participate in?
• Does your preschooler watch TV?
  • If so, how many hours does he or she watch on a typical day (weekday and weekends)?
• Does your child have a TV in his or her bedroom?
• Does your preschooler watch TV during meals daily?

What is Going Well?

Using the previous information, list areas that are going well relative to your child’s health.

• What steps have you taken to lower the levels of dietary fat in your youngster’s diet?
• How many 6 oz glasses of milk (2%/1%/whole) does your preschool-aged child drink daily?

What Problems Exist?

• What childhood health issues are raising concerns?
• Do you have any worries about your child’s appetite?
• Is your child a picky eater?
• Is your child a picky eater in certain food groups?
• How often does your family eat at fast-food restaurants in a typical week?
• What other nutrition-related issues concern you?
• Is it difficult to get your child to be physically active?

What Changes Need to Be Made?

• What obstacles are preventing you from resolving the issues that you’ve identified?
• What steps could you begin taking to ensure that your child eats healthier, more balanced meals?
• What measures could you use to lower the levels of dietary fat in your youngster’s diet?
• How can you integrate more activity into your child’s life?
• Choose a single problem you’d like to deal with and identify and list solutions to it. Next, begin to implement these strategies and record your successes here. Also, identify who can support you and your child in these efforts (for example, spouse, relatives).

Based on your answers in this assessment, write down questions and concerns that you’d like to raise with your pediatrician about your preschooler’s nutrition, physical activity, and other issues relevant to his or her health. Take this list with you to your next doctor’s visit.