Child nutrition

Diet and nutrition are important to our wellbeing throughout life. Good nutrition during infancy is especially important as babies and young children need balanced diets to enable them to grow optimally.

Weaning is an important time. When feeding babies encourage them to accept a wide variety of foods in their diet and to help prevent problems later on. When feeding young children it is important to establish a routine of regular meals with small snacks in-between. Breakfast is a necessary start to the day and drinks should be given alongside meals not in place of them.

Toddlers should be encouraged to take their drinks from a beaker or cup and bottles should generally be discouraged from around a year old.

Adult healthy eating principles are not suitable for very young children as they require adequate energy from small amounts of food. Variety helps to ensure a balanced diet and it is also important to make feeding times social occasions when the family sit together at the table and children are encouraged to enjoy their food.

Iron deficiency

Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common nutritional disorder in infants in the developed world.

The early use of cows milk, early weaning, and weaning onto a diet low in iron have all contributed to iron deficiency.

Cows milk should not be used as a main drink under 1 year because of its low iron content. Breast fed babies need an additional dietary source of iron from 4 months. This can be obtained for example in iron fortified baby cereals.

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Brad Cheek 1998