Q&A: Nutrition Advice for Children Between the Ages of 12-17 Months
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As a parent, you know that nutrition is the cornerstone of your child's development in all areas – physical growth, language acquisition and more – but sometimes the answers are not always easy to find. That's why Juicy Juice has assembled a panel of experts to give you the inside scoop, as well as tips and trends, to help every step of the way. For more questions and answers, visit our Expert Advice page.
Q: How do I ensure a proper daily diet for my one-year-old?
A: Food equals fun for the one-year-olds! They're enjoying their independence as they learn to feed themselves, mostly with finger foods, which are items that are easy for them to grasp. Make sure your child has the best diet possible by taking advantage of the spirit of adventure at this stage. Offer a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein sources, along with enough milk, yogurt or cheese to provide 500 milligrams of calcium daily. (One cup of milk or yogurt has 300 milligrams of calcium.) You could even try serving foods that you don't like. You might improve your diet as well!
Be sure to limit processed foods, including chips, cookies and prepared meals. Instead offer healthy snacks (such as slices of soft, ripe fruit or 100% juice) and meals made of home-cooked dishes you've modified for your toddler. Click here for more information on making meals baby-friendly. If your child turns up his nose at new items, just keep serving them; some youngsters need to see a dish 10 times before they'll try it. Simply offer your child variety, and let him follow his instincts. Your job is to pick and choose how much of it to eat.
Q: How can I tell if my toddler has a food allergy?
A: Allergies tend to run in families. If close relatives are allergic in any way-with hay fever, asthma, eczema or food allergies, among others-your child may be as well. Foods that can cause reactions include dairy products, peanuts, eggs, soy, fish and shellfish. When an allergic person eats them, the immune system decides they're foreign and reacts. In toddlers this may include hives, vomiting, sneezing, coughing, wheezing or anaphylaxis, a rare, life-threatening reaction that causes swelling in the mouth and throat, difficulty breathing and eventually shock.
Food sensitivities are another generally less dangerous category of reaction. One example is lactose intolerance. In this case, the person can't digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products, and experiences diarrhea and cramping after consuming them. Though you should check with your doctor if you suspect your child has a sensitivity, they're not true allergic reactions.
It may take weeks, months or even years for a food allergy to appear, so your child may one day react to something she's eaten safely before. If you're at all concerned about food allergies, talk to your pediatrician.