How Nutrition Promotes Child Development?

Delayed growth and Child Development may be due to environmental factors such as poor diet. Thus, it is crucial to invest in the growth and development of your child ensuring better Nutrition. Beware of frequencies in fast food restaurants, eateries, and addictive ones are poor in essential nutrients. Take your child to an appointment with a Nutritionist, in addition to periodic visits to the Pediatrician. That also leads to difficulties in learning and reduced physical and intellectual ability in adult life. Therefore, good home food samples will provide, in addition to adequate quantity and quality, all foods to meet the nutritional needs of this child and adolescent.

Functional nutrition also guarantees a lower risk of common childhood infections and promotes greater resistance to diseases. What parents (and grandparents!) Need to bear in mind is that distorted eating (and living!) Habits are progressively assimilated by the child, especially at the stage where he begins his pre-school life, where the child goes through A longer period away from the family and begins to have contact with different eating and cultural habits.

The recommendation of the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health is the provision of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of the child’s life. After this period, complementary feeding begins, implementing nutrients necessary for the good development of children, such as iron, zinc, and vitamins. It is important to highlight the relevance of the choice of foods for the baby, from the time of shopping to the way of preparation. Always prefer the freshest possible, observing at the time of purchase, how they are stored.

The pediatrician also emphasizes that the hygiene at home should be careful, washing everything that offers to the child, even if cooked later. Regarding seasonings, opt for the natural ones, such as parsley, chives, and a little vegetable oil. Salt, if used, in minimal doses. The idea is to enjoy the natural flavor of each item. A child with a varied diet, balanced in protein, fat, and carbohydrates, rich in micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals develops better.

In the first months of life, it is essential to maintain a balanced offer for the child – and also for the mother! – For proper growth and cognitive development. The good diet of the baby assists in the formation of resistance to diseases since it has interaction with the intestine and stimulates the installation of a healthy microbiota. Also, the vitamins a child acquires for food are directly related to immunity.

We call complementary feeding the one performed in conjunction with breastfeeding, usually after six months of life. However, it is important to emphasize feeding during the first 1,000 days of life, which is the period of gestation (280 days) and the first two years (720). For this reason, the nutrition and feeding of the pregnant woman also deserve attention, as well as the preparation for breastfeeding.

Follow-up with the pediatrician to guide the child’s proper nutrition in all phases of life is another key factor. Next, check out how to feed introduction tips for each child’s age range.

Six to Nine Months

With the maturation of the intestine and the organism, little by little it is possible to introduce food, always respecting the time of acceptance of each baby. Vegetable potatoes and cured groats in natural form are the first novelties.

Little by little, the palate becomes accustomed to the new flavors. However, it is important to present one food at a time and wait a few days for something new or even to mix. In this way, it is possible to verify the acceptance of the organism, allergic reactions, tummy aches or diarrhea.

Vegetables, leaves, and meats are added from the 6th month only in the lunch, already in the “dinner” only from the 7th month.

Food consistency should evolve to encourage chewing movements to the more solid foods, not just liquids, and pastes. It is important to explore the variety for a good acceptance of the next foods. Milk is still essential for the baby, preferably the mother. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until two years of age. If the baby takes infant formula, in this age group the average acceptance is 500 to 700 ml per day. It is worth noting that you can only introduce cow’s milk after one year of age, provided there are difficulties in maintaining a child formula suitable for age.

From Nine Months to A Year

Solid foods should make up a significant portion of the diet at this age. More teeth are beginning to appear, making it easier to chew the pieces of food. Now the baby tries to eat alone, around nine months, and as early as ten months, he may be able to hit the spoon in his mouth.

It is common to develop the habit of sucking some food. Parents can offer children a piece of meat, fruit, and other solids. In addition to massaging the gums, it helps to develop independence. Avoid round, small foods like grapes at this stage.

By the time they complete one year, children no longer eat evenly: some days they eat a lot, others have practically nothing. Parents should not be anxious and insist. It is natural and should not be a reason for parents’ anxiety.

From 1 Year to 1 Year and A Half

The typical characteristic of this age is the refusal of food. Eating inconstancy is a result of the slowing down of growth after the first year – the body changes and follows genetic trends, in addition to the effects of physical activities.

The world is explored more intensely, and there is not much time left to become interested in food. So it is important to offer small nutritious snacks during the day. The special food gives place to the normal family menu, which should be adjusted more healthily, avoiding the use of strong seasonings and excess salt, sugar, and fat in some dish.

The consumption of fatty and very sweet foods should be controlled from an early age so that the child is not addicted from an early age. As the palate is still in formation, the goal is to introduce smooth and natural flavors. The daily supply of milk on average 500 ml.

From 1 Year and A Half to 2 Years

Cutlery is best handled, straws are used in addition to the largest number of teeth. However, there is uneasiness at mealtimes and demonstrations of independence. Care must be taken to ensure that the child does not become sick of food and flavor their taste buds. To do this, invest in the offer of varied foods and the realization of family meals at the table.

Creativity is also very important to arouse the interest of the child should since it is imperative the presentation and color of food, in addition to what food has to have variation and be delicious.