Come on, Recognize the Right Nutrition for Children

Having a healthy child is every parent’s dream. For that, every nutrient and food given to the child should be appropriate and appropriate with age of growth, either breast milk or breastfeeding complementary foods.

According to WHO health organizations, the transition from  breastfeeding supplements generally takes place in infants aged six months to 18-24 months. This period is also known as a very crucial period for the child.

At the age of six months, children need more intake of breast milk. At this age the child is also ready to receive complementary feeding or other foods. If the complementary feeding of a given milk is not appropriate, then its growth may be hampered.

Pediatrician Damayanti R Sjarif said the quality of short and long term human health is largely determined by nutritional intake during the gold period. This gold period is at 270 days while still in fetal form and 270 days after birth.

“This crucial period should not be neglected by parents to provide the right nutrition according to the needs of children,” he said in a statement prs cited in a seminar commemorating National Children’s Day held by Philips AVENT recently.

Food Companion

Related to the best intake for children, he added, at the age of 0 to 6 months is breast milk. However, stepping on the age of six months and over the baby also requires complementary foods to complement the needs of other nutrients.

Damayanti explained that there are many misunderstandings among parents about the introduction of vegetables and fruits are preferred, rather than complement the shortage of breast milk.

“In fact, the most needed by children to grow-developing, especially the brain at this age is a macro nutrient such as carbohydrates, protein, fat. Micro nutrients such as vitamins and minerals are complete, sufficient and balanced, “he said.

For a daily requirement of iron for infants aged 6-12 months, he added, is 11 mg and that is not enough to be obtained through breast milk. Therefore, the need for iron must be met by complementary foods of milk from various foodstuffs.

Iron

Iron sources can be obtained from red meat, chicken livers, fish, green vegetables, and nuts. However, vegetables and legumes contain fiber that can block the gastrointestinal tract, so the two types of food should be administered in small amounts, combined with a source of vitamin C, such as oranges and tomatoes that will increase iron absorption.

The combination of these foods can be found in Indonesian family foods, such as crushed cassava leaves, mixed with anchovies and sprinkled with orange or tomato juice.

“The principle of complementary feeding is to introduce a family meal with a texture adjusted to its oromotor ability. So introduce healthy Indonesian food in accordance with the availability of local food, “The concluded.