Diet for a
growing child
Children who eat a balanced diet remain healthy and active lifestyle and it reduces the risk of health issues in the long run. Childhood is the most important time for development as well as development of mind and to fight with infection. Therefore, it is very important that children get good energy intake, Proteins, Vitamins and Minerals.
It is very important to follow hygienic practices while
preparing and feeding a supplementary meal to child otherwise, it can lead to
diarrhea. A well-prepared balanced diet is essential achieving optimal growth
for children and adolescents and boosting their immunity. Balanced diet, outdoor sports, child's
physical activities are essential to optimize body composition and reduce the
risk of chronic dietary conditions later in life and to prevent any kind of
vitamin deficiency.
Teenagers are also attached with factors associated with such
as rapid increase in height and weight, hormonal changes and mood. During this period, bone mass is developing
during the induction of dairy Products like milk, cheese, yogurt and vegetables
such as spinach, broccoli and celery those that are rich in calcium are very
important.
Children need a good amount of carbohydrates and fats for
energy. Therefore it is very important to give them daily intake of energy rich
foods in the form of whole grains like Wheat, brown rice, nuts, vegetable oil,
vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruits like Banana. In the case of children, protein is essential
for muscle building, repair and development and manufacture of antibodies. So feed them a diet that includes meat, eggs,
fish and dairy the product.
A child needs vitamins to keep the body functioning properly
and boost immunity system. Fruits and vegetables of different colors should be
added to it baby food. Vitamin A is essential
for vision and deficiency may cause Night blindness (difficulty seeing at
night).Vegetables with dark green leaves, yellow, orange colored vegetables and
fruits (eg carrots, papaya, mangoes) good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin D helps
in bone growth and development and is essential for absorption of calcium.
Children mostly get vitamin D from sunlight and in small
amounts from certain foods (eg fish oil, fatty fish, mushrooms, cheese and egg
yolk). Teenage girls experience more physical changes and psychological stress
compared to boys due to the onset of menstruation. Adolescent girls should consume a diet that is
rich in both vitamins and minerals to prevent anemia
As a parent, keep frequent changes to their menu to avoid the
boredom of eating the same food every day. In addition to the consumption of a nutritious
well balanced involved in diet, appropriate lifestyle practices and outdoor
activities such as sports / games should be encouraged in children. Regular
physical exercises increase strength and stamina and are essential for good
health and well-being.
Points to remember:
- Take extra care in feeding babies and include soft-cooked vegetables and seasonal fruit.
- Provide milk and milk-rich products in the form of calcium to children and adolescents essential for bone growth and development.
- Encourage child for outdoor activities and promote appropriate lifestyles practices for washing hands before meals, brushing teeth twice a day
- Exposure to sunlight helps in maintaining vitamin D which helps in calcium absorption.
- Never let the child go hungry feed an energy-rich cereal-pulse diet with milk and mashed vegetables give sufficient amount of fluid during illness.
- A child needs to eat more and after episodes of infection to maintain proper nutritional status.
- To prevent this, use oral rehydration solution (ORS) with zinc tablets control dehydration during diarrhea.
- Drink 2-2.5 liters of water to hydrate the body. Water / buttermilk / lassi / fruit juice / coconut water can be consume.
Staying up to date on nursing topics is an important task to keep in mind. Prof. R. P. Saxena founder of www.communityhealthnursing.guru has created this site during COVID-19 Pandemic for all Nursing students, Professional Nurses and Public to keep in touch with current trend in the subject of nursing to excel in their careers. I hope this site will be very useful to all.