Should zinc supplements for children 6 months?

This is an automatically translated article.

Zinc is an essential nutrient for children's physical and mental health, especially in the first years of life. Zinc deficiency is a common cause of stunting and growth retardation in children. Therefore, zinc supplementation for 6-month-old children is very important for the baby's later development.

1. Importance of zinc for 6-month-old babies

Zinc is an important trace mineral that is indispensable for infants. In the body, zinc is directly involved in the process of cell structure and division, activates many enzymes, affects the synthesis and breakdown of nucleic acids and proteins - an important factor of life.
The functions of zinc help children easily grow in height, firm muscles, stabilize nerve cell activity, strengthen the immune system, increase the body's resistance, increase thinking ability and good memory in the first years of life. If the organ system works well, it will help the baby avoid harmful agents caused by bacterial infections and toxins entering the body. From there, children will reduce minor illnesses, increase the perception of senses such as taste, smell, ... help children eat better. Not only that, adequate zinc supplementation for 6-month-old babies will accelerate the healing of open wounds and skin regeneration thanks to the ability to synthesize proteins.
On the contrary, zinc deficiency in children will cause children to slow down and stop growing, cell division will not work smoothly, seriously affecting height growth. Children with zinc deficiency often show signs of anorexia, weight loss, irritability, poor sleep, hair loss, and stunting. Through this, parents must have been answered the question of whether to supplement zinc for 6-month-old children or not.

2. Needs and ways of supplementing zinc for children 6 months

However, zinc supplementation for children is also considered a double-edged sword, requiring parents to be careful in allocating food. Too much or too little zinc in the body is not good, children easily feel nausea, loss of appetite, digestive disorders, easy to get sick, slow growth, ... Therefore, you need to supplement zinc with dosage. suitable for each object, each stage.
For infants from 0 to 6 months old, you should supplement:
1.1 mg/day for subjects with good absorption 2.8 mg/day for children with moderate absorption 6.5 mg/day for children with poor absorption For children from 0 to 6 months old. 6 - 11 months, the zinc requirement for the body is:
0.8 - 2.5 mg/day in well-absorbed children 4.1 mg/day in moderate absorption 8.3 mg/day in poorly absorbed children According to nutritionists, Breast milk is the best source of zinc for a 6-month-old baby, safe and easily absorbed. In the early stages, the amount of zinc contained in breast milk is very rich, in addition to many other minerals. However, the amount of zinc from breast milk is likely to decrease over time. Therefore, the mother needs to eat a lot of foods containing zinc such as crabs, eels, oysters, shrimp, meat, fish, asparagus, spinach, beans and seeds, fruits rich in vitamin C... to maintain and supplement zinc for children 6 months of age to the fullest.
In addition, 6-month-old babies can supplement zinc through solid foods or supplements prescribed by a doctor. Foods rich in zinc and safe, suitable for 6-month-old babies include: Prawns, oysters, beef, eggs, broccoli, ... or nuts. In order for children to easily absorb the best amount of zinc, parents should give them more vitamin C-rich fruits such as oranges, tangerines, papaya, grapefruit, kiwi, ...

3. Some notes when supplementing with zinc for 6-month-old babies

When you provide protein of animal origin, your baby's absorption of zinc will increase. Soy milk is high in phytate, which reduces zinc absorption. When using zinc, you should take more vitamins A, B6, C and phosphorus to help your baby absorb better zinc If both iron and zinc are added at the same time, use at least 2 hours apart, because iron will interfere with zinc absorption and vice versa. When supplementing with zinc-containing drugs, it should be taken 30 minutes after eating and lasting about 2-3 months. Do not supplement with zinc and calcium at the same time because calcium will reduce the absorption rate of zinc in the body. Be very careful about the origin, origin, ingredients, expiry date, ... avoid buying fake, cheap and unbranded goods to ensure the best health for your baby. It is best to consult your doctor/pharmacist first. Above are some basic information about zinc micronutrients, helping parents have more information before making a decision whether to supplement zinc for 6 months old children or not. The improvement of symptoms can take place for a long time, so it is recommended that parents be calm and persistent when supplementing with nutrients for their children, either through food or functional foods. In particular, the use of functional foods should choose those of natural origin that are easily absorbed, do not allow simultaneous use of many types or continuously change the types of functional foods.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
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.