Feeding a child is often a challenge to many caregivers. Winnie Nzioka, 21, a registered nutrition expert based in Embu Level V Hospital, Kenya elaborates on some of the challenges a caregiver can face and how to overcome them.
How should parents recognize and deal with food allergies in children?
“When a child is six months it is introduced to milk and other foods which can cause allergy, which manifest as skin rash. Many caregivers wonder whether to give goats’ milk or cow’s milk. Whereas cows’ milk is usually fine to use, one should give other animals milk or foods based on whether they can afford it or not.”
“To spot an allergy easily, it is advisable to introduce one food at a time and observe for a few days to allow one identify any problems.”
My child is difficult to feed. How should I deal with the him?
“Most parents make feeding time serious moments, they excessively force the children to feed and finish their rations yet others beat the children. Some children eat and eat and eat and parents develop the perception that they are good feeders not considering that they are overfeeding them. Other children simply refuse to eat yet others vomit at the end of feeding.”
We advise parents not to make feeding times hell, neither should they expect a child to finish its meals nor excessively force it to feed. They should get involved by feeding at the same time. This ensures that the child understands when it is meal times.”
“Feeding should be responsive feeding. Caregivers should make the feeding time entertaining and play with the child when feeding, use colorful plates and cups. Some children around nine months may want to use cups and spoons, as much as they may be messy at the beginning they should be allowed since it helps them to get involved in the feeding.”
“Nowadays some children at ten months can identify colors, caregivers should let the children feed using cups with colors they prefer.”
I have an infant of 1 year yet I am pregnant with my second child, how best can I take care of my child?
“Maternal nutrition status before, during and after pregnancy determines the well being of a child. If one has a one year old child and they are already pregnant is very stressful since the one year old requires a lot of attention and is likely to be neglected nutritionally. Hence the increasingly high rates of malnutrition.
“In the communities you find that mothers whose nutritional status is not good, the same usually applies to the kids.”
How can I identify malnutrition in my child?
“Many children develop kwashiorkor and marasmus, and when caregivers see a pot-bellied kid they think that the child is feeding well only for them to discover that it is malnutrition.”
“It is important that the mother is educated on the sign and symptoms of nutritional deficiencies in children so as they are able to identify malnutrition and take action before the child complicates.”
I have a large family, how can I ensure that my child is feeding adequately
“Some households do not have enough food and the family size is large. One may find that the food for the child is not enough in quantities and has insufficient nutrients for the growing child. Such challenges pose a greater risk of malnutrition to the child and families should come up with initiatives to ensure that the growing child can access enough food.”
Some caregivers have low nutrition education. Can that impact the nutrition of a growing child?
“Many caregivers adopt poor feeding practices and poor dietary quality, they do not know the importance of a balanced diet, how to gradually introduce complementary foods, and they give insufficient amounts.”
“You will find that a child of nine months still feeding on thin porridge and over-mashed foods which do not provide enough nutrients to the child. Others do not give children salt, failing to bear in mind the importance of iodine in child’s nutrition. Others just boil the foods failing to recognize the importance of essential fats in a growing child.”
Caregivers should know the daily calorie requirements for the child so that they are aware of how to prepare foods for child.
“Ideal porridge should be thick with lesser varieties of flour added. Flour varieties added in a meal should not be more than two and should also contain energy dense foods such as margarine. Fermented foods are advisable since they have bacteria which increase micronutrient absorption and have a nicer taste making them more likable to children. Fermentation also reduces lactose intolerance symptoms and makes intestines less vulnerable to diarrhea and vomiting.”
Sometimes I lack time to feed my child.
Many caregivers go to work with their children hence lack enough time to feed their children. “Timely feeding of all nutrients is very important. A child should not stay over two hours without having something to eat,” She says.
How often should a child be seen in the clinic?
A child should be seen in a nutrition clinic every month until they are two years where height and weight are recorded. This helps to identify stunting or underweight.