by Desiree Bell-Green

You asked about behaviors related to early childhood malnutrition in our daughters. Our child Melissa was very thin by American standards when we received her, although she had been in foster care. We realize that Chinese babies are not as “round” as American babies are, but we feel she was much too thin.

Melissa, our daughter, was 15 months old when we received her in Nanchang. At our first meal, we fed her a small portion of several different foods, and then afterwards, gave her another portion of whatever she seemed to like the best. She learned very quickly that first day, we would give her more of whatever food she pointed at. The first food she pointed to was watermelon. The next several days went smoothly with Melissa eating what we gave her and then delighting in “seconds” of whatever she pointed at. We believe this gave her a feeling of being able to control something of the changes in her life.

Our first morning at the White Swan Hotel was as per usual: Melissa ate a large plate of miscellaneous foods, then pointed at watermelon for “more.” The excitement happened when I brought from the serving table a large bowl of lovely brown lychee nuts, enough for us all.  Melissa jumped excitedly in her chair and pointed desperately to the fruit in the bowl. She downed each of the fruits before I could crack the next one open and remove the nut. She stopped eating only when the bowl was empty, and we feared she would become ill if she ate more. I took a piece of Brie and a small wheat roll from the table for her mid-morning snack, hoping to supplement all that fruit with a little protein.

The first week we were home I went shopping with her and she pointed to a table with double-quart packages of blueberries. Despite not having the ability to wash them, I set a box of berries on her lap and opened them. I figured a few berries would keep her occupied and I would be able to shop quietly. As I watched, Melissa used her thumb and first finger to pick up a berry and taste it. She chewed it happily with her four little white teeth, and I continued to shop. Four aisles over, she handed me the empty plastic box. Stunned, I turned around and went looking for the spilled fruit, but not a single berry was to be found on the floor, the counters, anywhere. I finished my shopping, paid for the box of berries and left the store bewildered as to where she had dumped them. I was soon to find out. That evening and for the next two days her diapers were filled with tiny black seedy material, the residue of two quarts of blueberries!

Melissa is 8 1/2 years old now, but has continued to eat fruit, (especially watermelon and blueberries,) as her first choice of foods. Her diet differs by choice from average American kids, in that she does not eat bread, or junk food, preferring to munch on vegetables, fruit and cheese. She also does not care for soda or candy. She does not care for hard fruit such as apples or pears, but chooses soft ones such as peaches and oranges and other types of melons.

Last year in second grade, Melissa was working on her “Writer’s Workshop” notebook for school. I bent over to read her paper. This is what she wrote:

My Favrit Dessert
My favrit food is frut.  I love watermellon and blueberries best.
I like bree and bread too, but fruts are my favorites.
I like all kind but my favorit is lichi nuts.