Foods offered are not matched to developmental skills for feeding e.g.

• Introducing solids too soon or too late.
• Textures of food offered are based on age expectations rather stage of physical or oral motor development. 
• Graded experiences to promote development are not provided. 

Inadvertent use of strategies that reinforce the feeding difficulty e.g.

• Preparation of separate meals when child refuses to eat family meal.
• Use of distraction to feed child.
• Use of coercion or force feeding.

Lack of structure and mealtime routines e.g. 

• Mealtimes are unpredictable and don’t provide repeat experiences for learning.
• Child grazes all day – disrupting hunger and satiety cycles
• Lack of exposure to appropriate foods.
• Mealtime environment is distracting or unpleasant.

Role models are not provided or are inappropriate e.g.

• Parents don’t eat or express dislike for foods that they expect their child to eat.

Lack of enjoyment at mealtimes e.g.

• Mealtime environment is distracting or unpleasant causing decreased appetite or interest in eating.
• Focus is on the type or amount of food eaten rather than social interactions and enjoyment. 
• Typical variations in appetite are not recognized.
• Use of force feeding, bribery and coercion. 
• Need to meet goals for weight gain.
• Medial management requires highly prescriptive dietary regimes e.g. inborn errors of metabolism.

Parenting style e.g.

• Authoritarian Parenting – over controlling.  Parents attempts to set the pace of feeding
• Permissive Parenting - doesn’t set clear limits. May make extra allowance for child due to illness.

Further reading:

Ellyn Satter Institute