Nutrition for Special Groups

Nutrition for Special Groups 3(3+0)

Lesson 19: Weaning- Types of Foods to Be Given to Infants

Problems in Weaning

• Obesity: Too early and too much quantity of feeding or too concentrated food can lead to over weight of the infant.
• Underweight: Too less quantity of food and less concentrated foods can lead to underweight. Frequent illness and repeated diarrhoea can also result in underweight of the child.
• Allergy: Increased gut permeability, low level of IgA and enzymatic immaturity put the infant at higher risk for allergy. The foods most frequently implicated in infant allergies are wheat, milk, egg and citrus juices.
• Refusal to take new food: If the child refuses to take new food, the form of food can be modified or mixed with the food he likes and should tried again after a week or so. A child may spit out the first spoon of food as the infant has to learn to swallow the semi solid or solid food.
• Choking: Choking and aspiration can be caused by peanut, seeds, small hard sweets, crisps and raisins.
• Diarrhoea