COMMON NUTRITIONAL PROBLEMS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN (AGE 1 TO 4)

 PROBLEMS : - DENTAL CARIES

- IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA
- OBESITY
- CONSTIPATION
- DIARRHOEA
- GASTRO-OESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE
- SELECTIVE EATING AND FOOD REFUSAL
- FALTERING GROWTH
- RICKETS
 FOLLOWING THE HEALTHY EATING GUIDELINES CURES MOST OF THESE EXCEPT SELECTIVE EATING
AND CONSTIPATION.
 PARENTS MUST IMPROVE HEALTHY EATING, MANAGEMANT OF MEALTIMES AND CHALLENGING
EATING BEHAVIOURS

DENTAL CARIES
- Mainly due to poor healthcare at home
- More risk in children :
o whose teeth brushing begins at a later age
o whose teeth were brushed less frequently than twice a day
o who brushed their own teeth as compared to adults helping them
o who used a bottle, dinky feeder or dummy
o who ate sugar, confectionary and carbonated drinks more often
o who had drink containing non-milk extrinsic sugars in bed at night
- Most important preventative factor – brushing teeth twice daily with a fluoridated
toothpaste, supervised by an adult and avoiding swallowing toothpaste and excessive
rinsing.
- Do not give fruit juices, sweetened squashes and fizzy drinks
- Sweet, acidic foods limited to 4 feeding episodes per day
- Do not allow children to graze on food throughout the day but follow a routine of 3 meals and
2-3 planned nutritious snacks. Water is the best drink to offer outside these times.
- Avoid sweet and acidic drinks at bed time as saliva production is less during sleep.

IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA

 Poor diet is the most common cause

 Dietary risk factors : - late weaning or inappropriate weaning foods during infancy
- Changing to cow’s milk as the main f=drink before 12 months of age
- Consuming excess( more than 600 ml per day) cow’s milk – frequently from a bottle
- Eating unbalanced diet with excess milk, confectionary, or low nutrient snack foods and eating
too few high-iron foods
  Prevention : - advising against change to cow’s milk as the main milk before 12 months and then
restricting it to 360 ml per day or less if the toddler is eating yoghurt and cheese
- Consuming iron rich foods - red meat, oily fish, eggs, iron-fortified breakfast cereals, beans
and pulses, nuts, dark green vegetables, dried fruit. Liver is a good source but is to be limited
to once per week as it has high vitamin A
- Giving vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables with meals as this promotes iron absorption – citrus
fruits, tomatoes, peppers, kiwi fruit, strawberries and potatoes.
- Do not give tea with meals and snacks as tannin decreases iron absorption
- Cut down excess milk consumption to increase eating up of iron rich foods or switch to iron
fortified formula feeds or milk.

OBESITY