Felty friends: Mandy Milks, Line illustrations: Anthony Swaneveld, Photo: Roberto Caruso, felt material courtesy of thefeltstore.com
We assembled a dream team of experts?Daina Kalnins, director of clinical dietetics at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto; Vanessa Lapointe, a family psychologist in South Surrey, BC; and Valérie Marchand, a paediatric gastroenterologist in Montreal?and peppered them with our pickiest questions. Some of their answers might surprise you.
Is there a certain age or stage where parents can expect picky eating"
DK: It can range from one year old to preteen! It?s pretty easy to control what an infant eats, but as personality?and the ability to say no?develops, you?re dealing with control and independence issues. VL: If it?s an issue of autonomy (as opposed to your child being highly sensitive, which you would already know), you will begin to get inklings as soon as your kid develops his own sense of self?typically by about age two.
VM: After his first year, a child?s growth slows; he gains weight at a slower rate. Around 18 to 24 months, he also starts to develop tastes and affirm his beliefs, which can affect his intake in terms of quantity but mostly in terms of diversity of foods. Kids are often neophobic?afraid of trying

new things?and may need to be exposed to a food many times (up to 15 times) before they like it.
What can parents do early on, as their kid starts solids, to head off picky eating"
DK: Remember that just becaus...