Bledidoc Advice
The young children’s nutrition has a major impact on their growth and mental health. This period is critical for brain development, learning and all the cognitive functions and memory circuit that mature during this period. That’s when the children learn how to write and speak, and the brain synapses are in extremely rapid speed ensuring connections between different brain tissues and functions.
Supplies for brain and physical development
This vulnerable period requires enough amounts of Micro and Macro nutrients to supply enough energy for brain tissues but also for the muscles and bones.
Mothers should be aware of beneficial feeding techniques, the quality and quantity of different items, mainly the equilibrium between carbohydrates, lipids and proteins knowing that 50% of calories should come from starch, 35% lipids and 15% from proteins.
The risk with unmodified cow’s milk
The excess consumption of unmodified cow’s milk will lead to deficiencies in Iron, Vitamin D, zinc and essential fatty acids and too much animal proteins that will increase the risk of obesity in adolescent and adulthood. Too much protein increases the risk of adiposity; obesity; in their adult years, with high risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Adequate nutrition
Children should be encouraged to drink supplemented cow’s milk with more Iron, Vitamin D, Zinc, and less proteins and saturated fat. These are available in Growing up milk formulas specially made to fulfill the necessary requirements of this age group.
Children should consume vegetables, mainly green ones, with a lot of fruits and eat healthy homemade food.
Inadequate nutrition
Children should stop the consumption of soda and synthetic fruit juices and decrease the consumption of junk food. They should also refrain from the consumption of simple sugars like chocolate bar, candies or adding sugar to milk or tea.
Adding to that, they should stop consuming cake with frosting, burgers and pizza, these products have high glycemic index and will induce high levels of insulin with sugar and fat stocks mainly in the liver leading to fatigue and decreased attention at school.
Consumption of more than 500ml of unmodified cow’s Milk may cause anemia with poor brain development and decreased immunity with recurrent infections, poor growth and obesity leading to a quieter lifestyle with less motivation for sports and outdoor activities, if the complementary diet is not adequate.
Finally, I would like to say that a bit of prevention is worth tons of treatment.
Dr Antoine FARAH, Pediatrician Clinical Associate AUBMC
Head of Department of Pediatrics St Georges Hospital Ajaltoun
