Have you seen those PediaSure commercials on TV? The one commercial that comes to mind shows a mom coming home from the grocery store, and when she unpacks all her groceries, they float up into the air above her childrens' heads. One by one, foods that the children don't like are replaced by PediaSure. Sounds like PediaSure must be good for picky eaters, right? WRONG!
We get a LOT of questions about PediaSure here in the WIC clinic. The most common thing we hear from moms is, "My child doesn't like broccoli, so should I give her PediaSure?" We wanted to answer all those questions and go over what PediaSure is and isn't.
What PediaSure IS:
PediaSure is a nutrition shake that can provide extra calories and help your child gain weight. It can be very helpful for kids who are underweight (meaning their weight falls below the 5th percentile) or if they have been diagnosed with failure to thrive. WIC can provide PediaSure for your child if your doctor prescribes it.
What PediaSure IS NOT:
PediaSure isn't a "magic pill" that will replace all of the foods that your child doesn't like to eat. The commercials are misleading because they don't mention that PediaSure is for underweight children. If your child is a healthy weight and drinks PediaSure, there is a chance she could gain too much weight or be even more picky (because all she wants to eat is PediaSure!).
If you still have questions about PediaSure, contact your WIC nutritionist or your child's pediatrician. Click here for more information about picky eaters!
- Sarah Whitson, Nutritionist Senior
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