Being a picky eater is a potential red flag but not always.
Being a picky eater is a normal phase for young children and so just being a picky eater is not always a red flag or cause for any concern.
Although being a picky eater can be a red flag if the picky eating becomes severe and is also accompanied by other signs like nutritional deficiencies, weight loss or a significant interference with daily life.
When the picky eating is severe and results in poor health or is associated with extreme anxiety, the picky eating can be a symptom of an underlying issue like Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder or ARFID.
Signs that picky eating is a red flag or an issue include.
Constipation, or other physical side effects.
The picky eating interferes with psychosocial functioning, causes tantrums or results in significant family mealtime stress.
The picky eating causes extreme fear or anxiety such as intense fear related to food, mealtimes or gaining weight.
The picky eating results in difficulty eating or problems with chewing food or swallowing food or constant gagging and choking.
The picky eating results in refusal to eat a wide variety of foods or entire food groups which result in a very limited diet.
The picky eating results in nutritional deficiencies and a lack of vitamins and other nutrients that the body needs.
And/or the picky eating results in failure to thrive such as slowed growth, failure to gain weight or significant weight loss.
If you notice any of these red flags from picky eating you should consult with a doctor or pediatrician to determine if there's an underlying condition.
Keep track of growth trends and use a growth chart which can be provided by a pediatrician.