Can a 14-month-old child eat rice?

This is an automatically translated article.

1. When can children eat rice?

According to pediatric organizations, parents can start giving their baby any type of rice from about six months old, as long as it is prepared appropriately. This is the ideal time to try solid foods as your baby can sit up on his own and has good swallowing reflexes. Accordingly, the short answer to the question "can a 14-month-old child eat rice?" is absolutely YES. Even if they have not been introduced to rice, a 14-month-old child asking for rice is a natural reflex when seeing a parent or an adult eating rice.
When choosing rice to start making a baby food, parents have the choice to use between baby rice and normal rice. Baby rice is really just ordinary rice milled into a fine powder. Many parents prefer to feed babies rice from baby rice mixed with breast milk or formula as one of the first weaning foods for babies. This dish has a mild flavor that many babies enjoy and is easy to scoop with a spoon.
However, pediatricians have shown that parents do not necessarily have to feed their children a special type of rice. Because from about six months of age on, babies can already eat most of the same foods as adults, including regular rice. Always remember, though, rice is a solid food, and never add rice or anything other than breast milk, formula, or water to a baby's bottle. This is absolutely not good for children's teeth and can also cause children to gain too much weight while limiting the absorption of nutrients from other foods.
In addition, like normal rice, rice cakes can also be given to babies from about 6 months old. They are a great food for self-directed weaning because rice cakes are always prepared in a form that is eye-catching and easy for babies to pick up, feed themselves, and melt quickly in their mouths.

2. Should your baby eat brown rice or white rice?

The answer to this question may surprise many parents. As a baby, eating rice cooked from white rice will actually be healthier than brown rice.
It is true that brown rice contains many healthy nutrients but only for adults. This is because brown rice has more fiber and helps the stomach feel full faster without providing too many calories. Meanwhile, children are still developing, so they need more calories to reach the appropriate fitness milestones according to the weight and height chart of the child.
Therefore, rice such as whole grain rice, bread and pasta can fill the stomach without providing the necessary energy for the body, so it should only be used to prepare meals for adults instead of children. . However, during meals with the family, it is not harmful to let your baby try a little brown rice, but don't give it often until the child is 5 years old.

3. Can babies and young children drink rice water?

The surprise is absolutely NO. Any rice-based beverages are unsafe for children under five years of age. This is because rice-based drinks, such as rice milk, may contain too much arsenic for young children.
Indeed, all natural rice may contain trace amounts of arsenic (arsenic). Small amounts of this substance are still found naturally in many foods and are not harmful to the body. However, when ingesting large amounts of arsenic can lead to arsenic poisoning, which is dangerous.
Even so, parents need not worry about the arsenic content in cooked rice or baby rice as they are considered safe for babies. Meanwhile, rice-based beverages contain higher levels of arsenic and should be avoided. On the other hand, parents should not be too worried if the baby is fed a little rice water, this is not likely to harm the baby when it is only a small amount and only once. But it's safest to stay away from it altogether.

4. How to get children to start eating rice?

If you want to start feeding baby rice, the information on the product packaging will guide you on how to prepare it step by step in detail. Parents usually just mix the right amount of formula with a little breast milk or their baby's regular formula and feed it with a spoon.
On the other hand, parents can still feed their children regular rice cooked in a family meal by cooking it more tenderly and then puree the child's rice by grinding or spreading it with a spoon. Mixing the baby's rice with a little breast milk or formula as a baby's rice is still recommended. This also has the benefit of making it easier for children to get used to. When the baby is used to it, parents can try to combine rice with vegetables, fruits, meat or fish with the right processing to find the baby's favorite combo.
Also, remember that most babies don't fully develop grasping (the ability to pick up small objects between their fingers) until they're about 9 to 10 months old. So it's going to take some trial and error to get them to eat rice with their own fingers in self-directed weaning. Parents need to create conditions for children to do this, making meals interesting and exciting even though cleaning up afterwards is quite difficult.

5. Is there a risk of choking on rice for babies?

Pediatric organizations have listed rice as a potential choking hazard for infants up to 24 months of age as well as other feeding problems. However, when properly cooked and crushed, rice can help reduce the risk so your baby can enjoy it.
At the same time, it is important to avoid choking when feeding is to ensure that the baby is carefully supervised during all mealtimes. In addition, parents should also make sure to follow the following safety principles:
Sit in the correct position when eating, do not lie down or run, play while eating
Sit on a high chair that is within reach of the dining table. Adults often sit in a special feeding chair for children
Do not feed babies in cars or strollers
Furthermore, like other foods, rice or rice cakes are also encouraged for children to get used to the food preparation. self-directed weaning. This is a style of solid food introduction in which the child can set his or her own pace for mealtimes, meaning that when a child is presented with a plate of food by hand, he or she can choose how much and what type of food he or she wants to eat. want to eat more, both bringing an enjoyable experience and safer for children than the traditional way of eating with a spoon.
In short, the above information will help answer parents' concerns about whether a 14-month-old child can eat rice. However, not only rice, rice-based products as well as other solid foods, when parents use them as food for their children, it is necessary to pay attention to proper processing, making it easy for children to chew and swallow. At the same time, the child's diet also needs a variety of foods and a balance of nutrients for the child's development.
In addition to nutrition, parents should supplement children with supporting products containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet nutritional needs. substances in children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, help children eat well, and develop comprehensively.
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.