Children are at much more risk of dehydration than adults – due to their higher surface-to-mass ratio. I often wonder how it is possible for children to achieve their daily fluid requirements without taking a drink bottle to school as one drink at lunch in the school cafeteria cannot surely be enough. An interesting studyRead More
Research shows children who eat well are happier
New research show that teenagers who eat a healthier diet and exercise regularly are happier than their peers. The Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex has shown that: – higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, and lower intake of crisps, sweets and fizzy drinks were associated with greater happiness. –Read More
Generation Smoothie
I know I’ve mentioned smoothies previously, but here is another article to back me up: a dentist warning parents about the effects of smoothies on children’s teeth… healthy smoothies not so innocent Hayley Kuter Paediatric Dietitian Blossom Consulting Ltd
Children’s breakfast cereals
I’ve just completed some work analysing 50 breakfast cereals. Breakfast is considered to be one of the most important meals of the day. Children particularly, perform better academically, socially and physically when they eat a breakfast. Breakfast cereals are a great choice – but during my research I was shocked by the poor quality ofRead More
Supermarket search
I have come across a great resource for searching and comparing supermarkets own-brand goods. Written by Martin Isarck, author of the Supermarket Own Brand Guide, this website provides information on taste, nutrition, allergies and best prices at the UK’s leading supermarket chains. Have a look for yourself, and let me know if it’s useful. http://www.supermarketownbrandguide.co.uk/index.htm
New! Portion size guidance for toddlers
Anyone who has tried to feed a toddler knows that how much they eat will vary from day to day and week to week. This is perfectly normal, but sometimes it would be helpful to know whether your expectations are realistic. The Infant and Toddler Forum have published evidence-based guidance on healthy portion sizes thatRead More
What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?
Food allergy is an adverse reaction to a food that is mediated or brought about by the immune system. By contrast, food intolerance is a non immune-mediated adverse reaction. Both reactions can cause discomfort and unpleasant symptoms, and both allergy and intolerance can be labelled as ‘food hypersensitivity’. These reactions are different from toxic foodRead More
Infant Colic
Infant colic may well be one of the most disconcerting problems of childhood. Despite over 50 years of research, the cause of colic remains unclear. An otherwise healthy baby will cry for hours upon end; ‘colic’ being an acronym for “Cause Obscure Lengthy Infant Crying”. Crying typically occurs in the evenings, episodes starting in theRead More
Can a dairy-free diet be nutritionally adequate?
Avoiding dairy products, both in childhood or adulthood, is often the only solution for those suffering from milk intolerance or allergy. But what are the nutritional consequences? Calcium is the main concern. Milk and dairy products make a significant contribution to calcium intake in our diets. Milk alternatives such as soya, rice, oat or coconutRead More
Back to School (or Nursery) with an Allergy
Starting school or nursery can be an anxious time for families who have children with food allergies. Here are some top tips to help reduce the risk of your child having an allergic reaction, and to keep the new school term as stress-free as possible. Firstly, before starting school/nursery make sure you discuss your child’sRead More
Salt
News reports this week of the high salt diet that most UK babies consume were slightly inflated. “Seventy percent of 8-month-olds consume too much salt, UK study shows” was the headline from one news report. The study quoted was actually from a study of children born in 1991-1992, and although the cohort was large – almost 1,200 participants, and yes 70% of these babies did consume over 0.4g sodium (1g salt) per day….this ‘news’ is nearly 20 years old!
So is salt still an issue now and can we learn anything from this study? Read More
Juice – too sweet to be good?
Fruit juices have been getting some bad press lately….and I think it’s about time. I am not an advocate of drinking fruit juices regularly, and certainly discourage parents from giving their children juice on a daily basis – no matter how fresh/pure/expensive it is. Research by a group at the University of Bangor has shownRead More
Do kids need multivitamins?
Millions of adults take vitamins and nutritional supplements in the hope of achieving better health, fewer diseases and to defy the ageing process. In 2009, £674.6 million worth of nutritional supplements were sold in the UK. But are they really worth it and should we be giving our children nutritional supplements too?
A new report by Behind the Headlines, an NHS service that investigates health claims, tells us that despite the wide availability of vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements such as fish oils, we should buy and take them with caution; and particular caution is needed when giving them to children.
Growth Charts explained…
The growth charts in your child’s ‘Red Book’ (Personal Child Health Record) show a graph of the normal distribution of the heights, weights and also head circumferences of healthy children. Understanding their use is key to monitoring your child’s growth patterns. Read More
Vegetable Wars
I would guess that the food group that evokes the most anxiety amongst parents are vegetables. Just why vegetables are the perennial problem, it’s hard to know; possibly because parents see vegetables as super-nutritious, or because parents themselves don’t like them but wish their children would. We are all born with a preference for sweetRead More
The latest on child obesity statistics
Children in the UK are routinely weighed and measured on entering Reception (age 4-5 years) and Year 6 (age 10-11 years) and categorised using recognised growth charts as ‘underweight’, ‘healthy weight’, ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’. Being an unhealthy weight as a child can have both immediate and long-term effects; obesity can increase the risk of typeRead More
‘Happy Little Eaters’ – fun toddler food classes starting soon!
An exciting new class is about to start in Altrincham, Cheshire called ‘Happy Little Eaters’. Aimed at children aged between 18 months and 4 years, ‘Happy Little Eaters’ has been developed my myself and a specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Joanne Jones. As health professionals, we have spent many years working with children who areRead More
A word on…Bottles, Dummies & Cups
I’m often asked about the best brand of feeder cups for toddlers who are almost finished with their baby bottles. My answer is always the same: the best drinking vessels for children over the age of one are open, non-lidded cups – yes, just the same shape as the ones you use!
Baby bottles and also dummies (or pacifiers) should really be discarded by the time your child is 12 months of age. This may sound like an impossible feat to achieve but a great deal of evidence suggests this is the right thing to do. With a bit of practice a child can get the hang of open cups – I have seen whole nursery classes of one year olds take just a few weeks to get used to the change.
5 reasons to throw out the bottles and dummies when your child is one….
Top tips for happy eaters
From the moment weaning begins, it is important that your child starts to nurture a life-long positive approach to food, mealtimes and eating. Meals should be happy from the start! Follow my top tips for happy eaters and both you and your child can have stress free, happy meals together. Let your child have the control over what goesRead More
Iron for… IQ
The importance of iron in the baby’s weaning diet should not be underestimated. Many parents spend the first few months of weaning letting their babies get used to healthy fruits and vegetables, and forget all about the other food groups including foods high in iron. Iron is a very important mineral needed for red blood cell production, energy and metabolism. Recent research has shown a lack of iron in the early years can have a long term and possibly irreversible effect on brain development, meaning if infants are not given adequate iron foods their IQ may be compromised.