4 Hidden Medical Reasons Behind Picky Eating

Season #3

You’ve tried everything — exposure, rewards, therapy — and your child still won’t eat?

There’s a reason.

In this episode, I’m sharing the 5 most commonly missed medical reasons behind picky eating — the ones I see all the time after families have hit dead ends with other approaches:

  1. 👅 Oral motor issues (it’s not just behavior if chewing is hard)

  2. 😮‍💨 Breathing difficulties (like enlarged tonsils or mouth breathing)

  3. 💩 Gut problems (reflux, constipation, dysbiosis)

  4. 🧬 Food sensitivities and allergies (even subtle ones)

  5. 🧪 Toxic load (chemicals, dyes, and additives that dysregulate the nervous system)

👉 If no one has looked into these, your child may not be stubborn — they may just feel unsafe around food.

You’ll also learn:
• What red flags to watch for in each category
• How to ask better questions at your child’s next appointment
• Why behavior-based feeding therapy often fails — and what to do instead

🎧 Plus, I’ll walk you through what a functional feeding evaluation looks like and how to finally get answers.


Take the quiz at thepickyeaterstest.com to find your child’s eating stage — and discover whether hidden root causes might be holding them back.