How do you know if your baby is lacking in nutrients?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Phan Ngoc Hai - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital

1. Signs to recognize a child's lack of nutrients

The following manifestations can help parents orient when an anorexia child lacks something, specifically:
Essential fatigue: may be a sign of iron deficiency leading to anemia due to the amount of red blood cells in the blood. low blood. Fatigue can also be a sign of vitamin D deficiency due to less sun exposure. Boat-shaped concave nails: This is also a sign of an iron deficiency anemia, which can be treated with iron supplements as directed by your doctor and eating foods high in iron such as seafood, animal liver. Stomatitis, mouth sores: This is a warning sign of vitamin B2 deficiency. Besides, if iron, zinc or vitamin B is lower than the need, it can also cause burning mouth syndrome in children. Diarrhea: May indicate a nutritional malabsorption caused by infection, surgery or malabsorption such as Celiac disease, Crohn's disease Vitamin A deficiency can cause growth retardation, uneven teeth, and nails. Gloomy hands, wrinkled, rough skin, night blindness or dry eyes Vitamin C deficiency causes red swollen gums, easy bleeding, blue skin, mucosal bleeding, heat blisters on the roof of the mouth and tongue. Lack of calcium makes it difficult for children to sleep, sweat a lot, teeth grow late, even in severe stages can cause bone deformities such as flat chest, bow legs. Watch now: Manifestations of nutrient deficiency

2. How to prevent malnutrition in children?

To prevent common micronutrient deficiencies, from the 7th month, children should be given complementary foods in addition to breast-feeding (weaning) to meet the quantity and quality requirements for the development of the baby. young.
Giving children complementary foods at the right time will help children gradually adapt to foods, and help their digestive system to gradually improve from liquid to solid diet. Children's meals need to be full of foods in the nutrition chart such as rice, beans, meat, fish, eggs, green vegetables, fruits and fats. The principles for feeding children from time to time are as follows:
Breastfeed babies exclusively for the first 6 months From the 7th to 12th month, give them 1 to 3 additional meals of diluted powder, then gradually thicken them. From 1-2 years old, breast-feeding children with 4-5 meals of porridge. From 2-5 years old, children can eat with their family with 3 main meals and 2 snacks (fruit, cake, yogurt) In addition. Parents can also give children products that help supplement lysine, biological zinc, iron, B vitamins or beta glucan to help increase intestinal immunity, stimulate digestion, stimulate children's taste and metabolism. Food gets better.
The improvement of micronutrient deficiency in children can take place for a long time, so it is recommended that parents be calm and persistent when supplementing with nutrients for their children even through eating or functional foods. In particular, the use of functional foods should choose those of natural origin that are easily absorbed, do not allow children to use many types at the same time or continuously change the types of functional foods.
It is best when there is a situation of stunted children with anorexia and lack of nutrients, parents should coordinate with a pediatrician to create a nutritious menu, enough zinc for the baby to help children develop comprehensively in each age.
For more nutritional knowledge and child care for each age, parents should regularly visit the website vimec.com and make an appointment with the leading doctors, pediatric and nutrition experts of the National General Hospital. Vinmec when needing advice on children's health.