Feeding During Illness
My baby has a cold and does not seem to be feeding well. Should I give him less formula? What kind of foods should I give him to stimulate his appetite?
Poor appetite during an illness is normal. Remember the last time you had the flu? You did not feel like having a five-course meal. The same response occurs in babies. During illness, babies may have high water needs because of high water losses from fever, rapid breathing, or loose stools. Give the baby more liquids so that he will wet his diapers about as often as usual.
No particular food will increase the baby’s appetite; he will eat better when he feels better. One or two days of low intake will not harm him, as long as he gets enough liquids.
What about vitamin C? Should I give more when my baby is sick?No vitamin is more controversial than vitamin C. Millions of people take extra doses daily in an attempt to prevent colds and other illnesses. It is only natural that they would have the same concerns for their babies. There is actually very little scientific data supporting the concept that vitamin C prevents illness. There is some suggestion that taking extra doses when a cold begins may shorten its course; this has never been studied in children. The average daily diet contains more than enough vitamin C. Besides, in large doses, vitamin C can cause diarrhea.
What about the chicken soup that I’ve heard about? Is that helpful?All grandmothers believe in chicken soup. Far be it from me to disagree with my grandmother. There is no doubt that chicken soup tastes good and is nourishing (personal observation). There are no scientific data that chicken soup is a magical elixir, but it does provide nutrition, fluid, and salt. If your baby is old enough to take solids (usually 6 months), make him and grandmother feel better by offering some chicken soup.
My baby is diagnosed to have strep throat. Should I give him some more orange juice?Strep throat is a specific infection of the throat caused by a bacteria, group A Streptococcus pyogenes. Babies usually do not get this type of throat infection; unfortunately, many people refer to any sore throat as a strep throat. The treatment of true strep throat is with an antibiotic. Extra orange juice will not help. The child with a sore throat may want extra cool fluids to slake his thirst. The fluid should not contain salt or acid, since this may cause discomfort.
My baby is teething. Can I give some food to help him?Babies are often cranky and uncomfortable during teething. The gums are sore, and the baby wants to chew on anything and everything to relieve the discomfort. No food will specifically help with teething, although cold food may help ease the gum pain. Hard chewing biscuits also serve the same purpose.
My baby is vomiting from some kind of viral illness. What kind of fluid should I give him?Babies vomit because something is irritating their stomachs; in this case it is the result of the virus infection. Since the stomach is irritated, we should give small amounts of easily digested liquids. The baby will be thirsty, so left alone, he will rapidly drink whatever liquid is available. This usually results in vomiting immediately. The secret is to give liquid slowly. Solid foods should be avoided since they are harder to empty from the stomach.
The liquid chosen should not be high in sugar or fat, since these will upset the stomach. The best liquid is water or ice chips. Liquids that have sugar and minerals, called oral glucose-electrolyte solutions, such as Pedialyte® or Infalyte®, are also appropriate.
My baby is vomiting and has diarrhea. What nutrition should I give him?Vomiting and diarrhea (acute gastroenteritis) are very common in infants. Most infections are caused by viruses, and there is no direct treatment for viruses. The major thrust of treatment is preventing and correcting dehydration. The extra liquid losses in the stools should be replaced. The best liquid is a sugar and mineral solution (or glucose-electrolyte solution) such as Pedialyte® or Infalyte®. These solutions are designed to replace losses from diarrhea. Normal feeding may be resumed as soon as your doctor thinks dehydration is corrected. The oral glucose-electrolyte solutions can also be continued to replace any recurring losses from diarrhea. Breastfeeding should not be interrupted.
After my baby had diarrhea, he was put on a soy formula. How long should I keep him on it? Is he now allergic to milk?
After a bout of diarrhea, an infant may have difficulty digesting the sugar present in cow’s milk (lactose). If this happens, the baby will have more diarrhea. Some doctors try to anticipate this and recommend using a lactose-free formula (formula with no lactose), such as a soy formula. Yogurt may be given, since the lactose in yogurt is predigested. The ability to digest lactose returns quickly within 1 to 2 weeks. This is a temporary event and is not a true allergy.
My friend suggested that I use cola to treat my baby’s diarrhea. Is that to give him more calories?
Cola and other clear liquids are old treatments for diarrhea. Recent research has shown that not only are they inappropriate, but also they are potentially dangerous. These solutions (Coca-Cola®, pop, juices, Kool-Aid®, Gatorade®) contain too much of the wrong kind of sugar and very few minerals. They contain sucrose as the sugar, which is hard to digest in cases of diarrhea. They do not contain enough sodium and potassium to replace what is being lost. They are also so concentrated that they may actually cause the body to put extra water into the intestine to dilute them, not what one would like to happen during diarrhea.
As mentioned earlier, the best treatment during acute diarrhea is an oral glucose-electrolyte solution such as Pedialyte® or Infalyte®; these are made so that there is the right amount of the right sugar (glucose) and electrolytes (minerals such as sodium and potassium) to replace losses and correct dehydration.
My baby gets a lot of colds; should I give him extra vitamins?No! Many people think of vitamins as wonder drugs. They are not; they are chemicals (drugs) that the body cannot make itself and needs in small amounts. In extra amounts, many vitamins can cause serious side effects. The normal infant diet, especially if formulas are included, provides more than enough vitamins to meet the baby’s daily needs. Consult your doctor if you think your baby needs extra vitamins.
What is formula intolerance? How do I tell if my baby has it?Formula intolerance means that the baby develops a definite physical reaction when a specific formula is given. This usually means vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, or increased congestion. Unfortu-nately, these are also the symptoms of many common childhood infections. In general, the frequency of formula intolerance is greatly overestimated. For example, often the formula is changed, and the baby, by coincidence, gets better from whatever illness caused the symptoms. As a result, the original formula often gets blamed, when in fact something entirely different is responsible.
The only way to tell definitely if the formula is causing the problem is to identify the symptom carefully (crying, diarrhea, etc.) and change the formula. After several days, the original formula is given again. If the symptom in question is caused by the original formula, it should go away and return, when the formula is changed to the second formula and back to the first one. This should happen at least twice to be sure that it is due to the formula. This should be done after discussing it with your doctor.
Should I give my baby formula or milk while he has a cold? Will it make his mucus worse?There is a common feeling that milk or formula will make mucus worse. There are no scientific facts to back up this belief. The baby should be allowed to drink whatever he wants during a cold. It is important to maintain good nutrition and hydration. A few days without formula will not harm him, but beyond three days may affect his nutrition.
Many other factors besides foods will cause mucus production. It is the normal response to a respiratory infection. Environmental factors, such as tobacco smoke, frequently are responsible and should be eliminated.
When should I feed my baby after he has diarrhea? Should I wait until his stools are normal again?
Your baby should be fed as soon as any dehydration has been corrected. The old idea that we should wait until the stools returned to normal before beginning feedings is just plain wrong. It is important to begin feedings for several reasons. The baby needs the nutrition, and the only way the intestine heals itself after any injury, such as diarrhea, is to be fed. After all, we are much more interested in how the baby is doing, rather than how the stools appear. As long as the baby is happy, gaining weight, and remaining hydrated, ignore the condition of the stools!
My baby has pneumonia and is in the hospital. He is not feeling well and I am worried that the doctors are not giving him enough nutrition. What should I do?
The first thing to do is talk to your doctor and explain your concerns. Most babies have decreased appetite when ill, and the extra effort of breathing during pneumonia makes eating more difficult. Most babies resume eating normally within a few days as they get better. If your baby is receiving medicine through his veins, he may be receiving some additional nutrition. If he is not able to eat normally after 4 to 5 days, then you should become concerned.
My baby has been diagnosed to have a urinary tract infection. Should I do something else with the diet?
Usually a normal diet and increased liquid intake are all that is required during a urinary tract infection. Sometimes, your doctor will want to make the urine more acid and may prescribe juices to help.
My baby has the croup. Does he need to have any special diet?Croup is an infection of the upper respiratory passage caused by a virus. During the infection, it may be difficult for the baby to eat normally because of how hard he must breathe. He should take enough fluids to avoid dehydration. Once the acute stage is over, no special diet is necessary or desirable. The baby should eat normally so that he can recover from the stress of the infection. The only exception is when the croup is due to an allergy; then whatever caused the allergic reaction (food, dust, mold) should be avoided.
My baby has frequent ear infections. Is any special diet required?No special diet is required. Ear infections are caused by swelling of the tube between the ear and throat (Eustachian tube). The swelling allows some fluid to be trapped in the ear, which can then get infected.
If the baby is allergic to any food, that should be avoided. The baby should not be allowed to drink a bottle lying down, since some of the milk may reflux (flow back) up the Eustachian tube. Infants should not be put to bed with a bottle for the same reason!
My baby has a staph infection on the head. Since I am breastfeeding, should I stay off chocolates? I am told they cause pimples, so might it also be bad for an infection?
There is no connection between your diet and the baby’s staph infection. The staph germ is present every place and can get into a minor break in the skin, resulting in an infection. It is very doubtful that chocolate causes pimples. Your diet should be one that you like and that is well balanced.
My baby has a heart condition and the doctors are giving him some water-pill-like medicines. Should I change his diet?
There is something about being careful with salt. Your baby is being given medicine called a diuretic, which removes extra fluid and salt from the body. Thus, it is important not to give the baby more fluid or salt than he can handle. Your doctor will determine the amount of fluid he can tolerate. It is also important that he receives adequate nutrition, so he may receive concentrated formulas, and your doctor may prescribe a low-salt-containing formula. The medicine also removes potassium from the body, so he may need extra potassium-containing foods such as bananas.
My baby has a cleft lip and palate. What should I be careful about in feeding him?Babies with cleft lips and palates do not usually have any special nutritional needs. They may have difficulty with the usual nipples, and may require special nipples to make sucking and swallowing easier.
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