My 5yr old son is eating pure sugar. What should I do?

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eliad , Parent asks:

We caught our son eating pure sugar out of the jar in the kitchen many times. I tried to explain him how bad it is for his health and dental health. I tried to explain him the adequate of shared dishes. I also gave him consequences for doing it again. But nothing helps, we keep finding evidence or catching him in act.

We're not fanatic about "no sugar". he's getting his fair share of candy, juice and other sweat treats in his diet.
He's certainly not sweats deprived. What should I do to stop him from digging into the sugar container?

In Topics: Nutrition, Dental health

> 60 days ago

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mheyman

May 22, 2010

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What the Expert Says:

Kids develop food jags, and sugar is certainly a natural preference for any child. At this age, they can reach into cupboards or wherever you keep the sugar. One option is to have alternatives (e.g. fruits) readily available and don't have any sugar around for him to get into.

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bob

Oct 13, 2009

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from a fellow member

The obvious answer seems to be "lock it up!" Your son is probably too young to "get" the damage that this might cause him, and sugar is (if not clinically then at least seemingly) addictive.

Does his mood change when he has had or has not had a dose of sugar? Read up on hypoglycemia and if you see a pattern, talk to your doctor.

One thing I've found is that sugar causes sugar cravings. If your son has sugary candy in the morning, he'll probably be seeking candy out all day. So it might be best to keep a tight lid on sugar intake, especially until later in the day (if not always).

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