Bledidoc Advice
I have noticed that many parents have preconceived ideas about their child’s nutritional needs.
1- Once my child starts solid food, he can eat like an adult: True or False?
False!
Children’s needs are different because they grow rapidly. So for a proper physical, brain and social development, they need 6 x more iron, 4 x more calcium, 7 x more vitamin D, 3 x more EFA and 3 x more vitamin C per kg of body weight.(1)
That’s why their diet should be varied and rich in vitamins and minerals that are adapted to their needs.
2- It is okay to give adult milk or liquid milk to my child before the age of 6: True or False?
False!
Many parents don’t know that adult milk does not contain the precise nutrients that a milk adapted to your child has. For example, it doesn’t contain or barely has traces of iron vitamin D and vitamin C, and has no essential fatty acids. It contains too much proteins and sodium and can sometimes contain added sugar.(2,3)
Giving an adapted milk to your child’s age helps you cover an important part of your child’s daily needs in iron, vitamin D, C prebiotic, EFAs, zinc, calcium, and many other minerals and nutrients.
These will help in ensuring his healthy physical, brain, social and language development.
So because it is not easy to ensure the exact needs of a child through food only, growing up milk is here to support in meeting these needs.
3- As long as we provide dairy products such as labneh and yogurt, this will replace growing up milk: True or False?
False!
Same as adult milk, these dairy products do not contain the vitamins or minerals found in growing up milk and needed for your child’s age. So they cannot replace its benefits for brain and physical development.
4- My child has a huge appetite, he can eat a portion of meat as big as mine. Good or bad?
Not adequate.
Meat is a good source of iron, zinc and protein, but you need to provide your child with quantities adequate to his age. An excess of protein given to your child will lead to kidney overload, risk of obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Protein should represent up to 20% of your child’s caloric daily intakes.(4)
5- My child doesn’t like fruits, so I am giving him juices instead. Good of bad?
Not recommended.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that fruit juice should not be given to children, as it offers no nutritional value. The AAP recommends to limit juice to 120 to 180 ml a day. Its nutritional benefits are limited. Juice might also increase the risk of tooth decay and cause your baby to prefer sweeter flavours instead of plain water. We need to pay attention to commercial juices because they include a lot of additives, colorants and added sugars. Also, fresh juice should be given in small amounts, because drinking too much of it can lead to obesity and can cause diarrhea from the sugar in the juice.(3) Instead, offer your toddler a natural fruit that has more fiber, vitamins and minerals. You can prepare fun fruit shapes to encourage your child.(5,6,7)
Dr. Iman Tannir
Pediatrician
