The University of East Anglia and the non-governmental organization Fifth Sense in England prepared a guide on the smell disorder called ‘parosmia’, which is defined as the misperception of smells in humans. The guide explained that especially children who are thought to choose food may actually suffer from this condition, which may be caused by COVID.
Parosmia, which causes a different or poor perception of smells, is a common side effect in adults with COVID. However, according to the guide, when this condition is seen in children, it is stated that children may feel cold from certain foods due to discomfort, and even have difficulty in eating. While parents perceive this situation as ‘choosing food’, the situation is actually very different.
COVID may be the reason children choose food:
An example on this subject is also presented in the guide. Malisse Kafi, 11, who caught COVID in September, was unable to eat because everything tasted like feces and rotten eggs. His mother, Dawn Kafi, stated that the food caused her son to gag and gag. So much so that the child lost two kilos and was hospitalized within two months due to dehydration.
Although Mother Dawn Kafi also cooked the food that her child loved, Malisse still did not eat the food and became more sick. The boy, who went to the hospital, was eventually diagnosed with parosmia and was given a nasal spray. However, this did not provide any benefit, so the child had to be fed with a tube. Malisse can now eat certain foods, such as salmon.
Duncan Boak, from the Fifth Sense non-governmental organization, explained in his statement that children with nutritional problems and losing weight received information from their parents, and doctors attributed the situation only to choosing food. In the guide published by the university and the institution, a few recommendations were given to parents on this subject.
Accordingly, by encouraging children to eat simpler foods, it can be seen which foods they do not react to, and odors can be blocked by attaching a soft latch to the nose while eating. A simple technique of sniffing at least four different scents twice a day for several months can also be used to aid healing.
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