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Food IntroductionHow to establish healthy, lifelong eating patterns in your childrenBy Dominique Ewing

   The journey from developing fetus to self-feeding child is one during which life-long eating habits are created. With that said, it is essential to establish a healthy nutritional foundation at an early age. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding infants for, preferably, the first 6 months (no less than 4 months) before introducing complementary, solid foods. Once solid foods are introduced, it’s advised that breastfeeding be continued at least up to the child reaches 1 year of age. To clarify, although opinions vary concerning the importance of the order in which certain foods are introduced, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that any specific order is advantageous to the baby. For example, despite a commonly held belief that introducing fruits before vegetables causes the child to prefer sweet tastes, disliking vegetables thereafter—there is no scientific evidence that support this claim! In fact, babies are born with a natural preference for ‘sweet,’ which is not affected by the order in which they taste solid foods.

   Traditionally, single-grain foods have been introduced first. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) advises that if a child was mostly breastfed—as opposed to formula fed—and then weaned, incorporating pureed meat and poultry may be beneficial to maintain their iron and zinc at optimal levels, because these minerals are more easily absorbed from meat, and essential for a 4-6 month old growing child. It is also important to note that each vegetable and meat product are much more nutrient-rich per serving than are fruits and cereals. When choosing a cereal, it is important to choose ‘baby cereal’ because it contains essential nutrients specific to the needs of a developing infant. Baby cereals can be found in two forms: premixed or dry—to which breast milk, formula, or water must be added. Dry cereals are richer in iron, and allow more control of the final texture.

   New foods should be introduced 1 at a time, waiting 2-3 days before starting another to watch for allergic reactions. Rash, diarrhea, and vomiting are signs of an allergic reaction—if any occur, stop using the food immediately and consult with the child’s physician. Within a few months from beginning solid food consumption, a child’s diet should include variety: breast milk (or formula), meats, cereal, vegetables, and fruits. It is usually advised to avoid eggs and fish during a child’s first year to avoid allergic reactions. Many believe that introducing small amounts of fish and eggs at 4-6 months of age promotes resilience to food allergies, however, there is no evidence that that this approach to feeding has any effect. According to the ADA, most babies prefer starting off with softer, smoother textures and gradually moving towards thicker textures. Beware of some of these common choking hazards: popcorn; nuts; whole grapes; uncut and stringy meats; hotdog pieces; hard, raw fruits and vegetables (i.e. apples, green beans, carrots); chunks of meat or cheese; hard-to-chew foods; sticky foods (i.e. peanut butter stuck in the back of the mouth).

   Just remember, a positive feeding relationship during infancy can have lifetime benefits, so help your child establish a healthy one!

References:

1.                   1.  Hetherington, Marion M. et al. “Feeding Infants and Young Children: From Guidelines to Practice.” Appetite, 57.            (2011): 791-795. Print.

2.     “Introducing Solid Foods.” American Dietetics Association.  Jan 12 2012. Web. Jan 26 2012.

3.     “Switching to Solid Foods.” Starting Solid Foods. American Academy of Pediatrics, 2010. Web. Jan 26 2012.


Published 2012-02-06

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Sound Bites
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a decay product of polycarbonate plastic. It is found in plastic bottles, including some baby bottles. Studies link BPA to affects on the prostate gland, the brain and on the development of fetuses, infants, and children.  To reduce children's risk and exposure avoid No.7 plastic baby bottles, 3- and 5- gallon water bottles and certain food containers. National Toxicology Program, NIH.
Suggested AlternativesNoodle & Boo - baby 2 - baby soft skin - shop now.

Noodle & Boo - product special - essential care kit.



Featured Practitioner
Six and a half years ago pediatric nurse practitioner and former high school gymnast Jo Montgomery and her partner Charles Johnson had a great idea. Noting an epidemic of childhood obesity she thought they could make a difference by starting a program to get kids moving through circus arts. That winter they created The School of Acrobatic and New Circus Arts (SANCA), a non profit organization. Why circus arts? Because getting kids into a non competitive environment where they can play and have fun seemed like an idea that made sense. The school started in January 2004 with weekend classes and five students. By the following summer 75 students had joined. Today the school offers 132 classes per week, and this year alone has served 9000 children and adults. Not bad for a good idea!

So what is New Circus Arts you may ask? Traditional circuses like Barnum Bailey relied heavily on animal acts as entertainment, though trapeze and contortionists were also part of the show. New Circus Arts, developed in San Francisco by the Pickle Family Circus do not use animals to entertain. Juggling, contortion, partner work, acrobatics and trapeze are typically used. A great example of New Circus Arts is Cirque de Soleil, originally from Montreal but has international acclaim and several permanent showsin Las Vegas. At SANCA kids learn New Circus skills in a safe and fun environment. If they so choose they are even able to perform through one of the three youth performance groups. SANCA is accessible to all children. Many special needs children attend either one-on-one classes, or the regular group classes. No child has ever been turned away because of monetary constraints. Due to individual donations SANCA has a generous scholarship fund.

When asked if they met their objective of getting kids leaner, she replies no. They met a greater objective: building self esteem. Ms. Montgomery says that she ultimately realized that childhood obesity is a symptom of a much more core issue involving self esteem. A lower sense of self and capabilities cascades down to the more superficial issue of being overweight and obese. In addition, family eating habits have strong influence on weight, which the school can not address.

What’s wonderful to see is children who come in rather awkward or socially withdrawn, leaving class with a sense of self empowerment. Ms. Montgomery recounts the affect the classes had on a group of school children. The kids, a group of third to fifth graders came for classes once per week for a semester. Not only did the children amaze themselves with what they were able to achieve, their teacher reported that during this time they all increased their reading and science levels, and notably their self esteem and confidence increased. This corresponds with research demonstrating that arts exposure in school increases academic performance and problem solving skills across socio-economic classes. Not only that, but arts exposure also increases empathy and community involvement.

So what’s next on the agenda: “catching our breath” says Ms. Montgomery. We’ve got a new flight school (Trapeze facility), 30 instructors, and we’re still growing.

Not bad for a good idea! Find out more about this wonderful organization at: www.sancaseattle.org.


Disclaimer: Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment.