Common problems when feeding babies

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Huynh Bao Toan - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Children who often cry, lose their appetite, or vomit when eating are problems that cause a lot of anxiety for parents. To solve this is really a huge challenge for those with small children.

According to Elizabeth Ward, author of the book "T the Complete Idiot's Guide to Feeding Your Baby and Toddler", almost all babies have an instinct to refuse new foods in the first place. weaning phase.
Therefore, to help your baby get used to new foods, mothers should start with small portions, then increase gradually over time. In addition, you should also make new foods that look similar to your child's familiar favorites, such as your baby's favorite carrot puree, you can do the same with mashed potatoes.

If you notice food spilled on the floor or in your baby's hair, this is a good sign that your child is starting to become more independent in eating. At around 9 months of age, many babies already want to control when and where they want to eat.
Although the mess your baby makes while eating can be frustrating and difficult for parents, it is actually an important turning point for learning, development and independence. in children.

Most babies spit or spit out food, and this is completely normal. During this period, the baby's digestive system is gradually developing and maturing. This is also when children are more susceptible to reflux, a condition that occurs when food in the stomach backs up into the esophagus.
To manage this condition, you should feed your baby slower or feed less at each sitting, loosen diapers and keep baby upright after feeding. Reflux in infants will clear up on its own before the baby is 12-14 months old without the need for interventional treatments.

Some typical signs of anorexia include, turning their head when they see food, swinging a spoon, or closing their mouth. Anorexia in babies can have many different causes, such as being sick, tired, distracted, or simply feeling full and not wanting to eat more.
In this case, it's best not to force the child to eat a lot, or you can talk to a specialist for advice and find the most effective solution.

Picky eating in children can last for weeks or even months for many different reasons. Teething can make babies feel uncomfortable, at this time familiar foods will bring more comfort to them. Sometimes, children can also be picky eaters because they are not ready to try a new food.
However, that does not mean that you let your children eat and drink freely just because of their preferences. Choose nutritious and healthy foods, when hungry children will automatically eat them.

According to statistics, up to 8% of children have food allergies. Common symptoms of this condition include diarrhea, rash, vomiting, or sudden stomach pain.
In general, children can be allergic to any food, for example eggs, milk, soy, nuts, wheat, and especially shellfish.
Besides, food intolerance is also a top concern in young children, even more common than allergies, causing symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain.
If your child is at high risk for a food allergy or intolerance, you should consult a specialist to carefully review which foods are safe for your baby.

According to research, about 2 out of 5 children suffer from colic and cry for hours at a time. Colic episodes can start as early as 3 weeks old, and usually go away by 3 months.
Although colic doesn't have much to do with a baby's appetite or ability to breastfeed, it does. Children will need a certain amount of time to calm down before eating. At that time, babies often tend to spit or spit food out.
In case your baby has vomiting, fever, diarrhea, weight loss or bloody stools, you need to take your child to the hospital as soon as possible, because these could be symptoms of a serious medical problem. other.

Diarrhea in children can quickly lead to dangerous dehydration. Some telltale signs include dry mouth, wet diapers, decreased urination, no tears when crying, weight loss, lethargy, or sunken eyes. When your child shows these symptoms, you should take your child to see a doctor as soon as possible to prevent dangerous complications.
Young children are rarely constipated. What's more, it can be hard to tell because a child's frequency of bowel movements can vary. For example, babies who are exclusively breastfed will have solid stools about once a day. Common signs of constipation include solid, hard, large, painful stools with blood in the stool.

Is infant food the main cause of digestive problems in babies? This can happen if the child eats leftovers from the previous meal, creating favorable conditions for bacteria from the food to enter the child's body. When your baby eats leftovers, it can lead to a number of digestive problems such as vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms.

Babies' digestive systems are often not fully developed like adults, so they can't cope with certain foods that adults can tolerate. A typical example is honey, which can lead to poisoning in infants and even death in large doses.
In addition, you should avoid giving your child foods that can cause choking such as popcorn, hot dogs, fruits, raw vegetables, raisins, meat and cheese.
To prevent gastrointestinal diseases that young children often have, parents should pay attention to nutrition to improve resistance for children. At the same time, add supporting foods containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, B vitamins,... snacks and less digestive problems.
Parents can learn more:
Why do you need to supplement Lysine for your baby?
The role of zinc - Guidelines for reasonable zinc supplementation
Please visit the website Vinmec.com regularly and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.

Reference article source: webmd.com