Vegetarian

The principles of weaning are the same for vegetarian babies as for non-vegetarian babies.  Non-vegetarian children get much of their iron from meat.  For vegetarian babies over 6 months this can be found in soaked and pureed dried apricots, small amounts of prune juice, red lentils, mixed grains and iron fortified baby breakfast cereals.  Vitamin C helps to enhance iron absorption so serving vitamin C rich foods at the same time as iron rich foods such as cooked tomatoes (a good source of Vit C) with iron rich red lentils or pureeing dried apricots with a little fresh orange juice can be a good idea. Also, try offering diluted citric fruit juices with your child’s meal.  

A vegetarian diet can be high in fibre and therefore more bulky and filling so make sure your child gets enough energy in his/her diet by giving smaller, more frequent main meals throughout the day plus one or two snacks.  Include plenty of dairy products too such as cheese, yogurt and milk for vitamin D and calcium.  Speak to your health visitor or doctor about the possible need for extra supplements.


Vegan Diets

With appropriate care, varied vegan diets can provide all the nutrients a baby needs for growth and development.  However, such diets can be high in fibre which can result in low energy intake and interfere with absorption of minerals such as iron, zinc and copper.  If your child does have a vegan diet it is important to work closely with your doctor who may refer you to a state registered paediatric dietician to ensure that your child’s diet contains all the nutrients it needs.

Allergies

A very small number of children suffer from an allergy to certain types of foods and many that do grow out of them by the age of three. Children most at risk are those who have a family history of allergies, eczema, asthma or hay fever.  Current government guidelines recommended that children with a family history should be breast fed for at least 6 months, longer if possible, as this helps to provide the child with protective antibodies.

There are a number of foods that are known to trigger allergies and intolerances in some susceptible children.  The common allergenic foods include peanuts, nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, fish and shellfish.  These should never be fed to children under 6 months.   If your child has a family history of allergies introduce foods from the list above singly and make sure you observe your child closely for several days as some symptoms occur immediately after eating whilst others may not present themselves for several hours, even days afterwards.   It is also a good idea to introduce new foods at breakfast or lunch time instead of in the evening so that if your baby does suffer a reaction to the food it does not happen during the night.

Common symptoms of a food allergy include, sickness, diarrhea, coughing, wheezing, rashes (sometimes around the mouth), tingling of the mouth and throat or eczema.  If a family member suffers from food-related allergies or if you observe any of these symptoms after your child eats a certain food always talk to your doctor or health visitor.  If necessary, they may refer you to a registered dietitian as the only way to accurately diagnose a food allergy is to eliminate suspected foods, wait for symptoms to disappear and then slowly, after a period of time begin to re-introduce them one by one until symptoms re-appear.  This is called an ‘elimination diet’ and requires careful supervision by a fully qualified professional, particularly where children are concerned to prevent nutritional deficiencies occurring in their diet.


The Difference Between an Allergy and an Intolerance

A food allergy is when the immune system responds to a food by releasing antibodies, causing allergic symptoms such as a rash, bloating, wheezing, runny nose and sometimes sudden and dramatic swelling of parts of the body in contact with the food.

If your child suffers from food allergies, he's likely to show an obvious reaction soon after eating the offending food. According to recent research, less than 3% of the population has a true ‘allergy’ to a food.

An intolerance on the other hand is when your child suffers from an on-going problem, for example stomach ache, glue ear, diarrhea or hyperactivity, which has been triggered by certain foods. One of the main differences between intolerance and allergy is that an intolerance doesn't involve the immune system and is generally not life-threatening. Also, if the trigger food is avoided for a period of time, you may find your child is then able to tolerate it in moderate amounts without any problems.

If you think your child may have a food allergy or intolerance, always get a proper diagnosis from a health professional.   Never be tempted to cut out major food groups such as wheat or dairy without seeking proper medical advice first.