What Are Some Developmental Milestones for Solid Food Readiness?

This study and others found many poor feeding habits including excessive juice, inappropriate foods (i.e. french fries, pizza, macaroni and cheese, etc.), allergenic foods (i.e. eggs and peanut butter), and prechewing of table foods. Learning Point Breastfeeding or formula should be the main meals and calorie sources for infants during the first year. Solid food feeding is important for infant growth and development; they help the infant to learn about tastes and textures during the first year of life but initially should be used in small amounts like a dessert. There are development differences when infants are ready to take solid foods. In general infants should be able to: Have no head lag when pulled from a reclined to seated position Able to sit by self in a high chair or infant seat Able to coordinate to move head and hands to be able to look for food and put it in the mouth Responsively opens the mouth when food comes near Able to move the food from the spoon into the mouth – does not have tongue thrust reflex Able to swallow the food There is a range of when infants are able to meet these milestones with some children as early as 4 months and others not until 10 months. Most infants are able to do so after 6 months of age. A table of infant and young children’s feeding skill milestones can be reviewed here. Questions for Further Discussion 1. When can more textured infant foods be introduced? 2. What changes in stooling patterns occur after solid food i...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news