Children under 1 year old, including your 10-month-old baby, have special dietary needs. Breast milk or baby formula should provide the majority of nutritional requirements for babies in this age group. When you introduce new foods, allergies or intolerances may become apparent. Although your child may outgrow some of these problems, she should have regular visits with a pediatrician to discuss any digestive symptoms or dietary changes.
Cow's Milk
Cow's milk is not recommended for children younger than 1 year old, because the proteins and fats are difficult for infants to digest and absorb, leading to stomach irritation and anemia in some cases. If your baby gets large amounts of cow's milk, his diet will be deficient in vitamin E, iron and essential fatty acids and too high in protein, sodium and potassium. Drugs.com states that up to 3 percent of children under 12 months of age are allergic to cow's milk. Symptoms may include abdominal cramps, nausea and diarrhea. Lactose intolerance is a deficiency of lactase, an enzyme in the small bowel necessary to digest milk sugars. Symptoms of lactose intolerance may include bloating, gas and diarrhea.
Foods High in Fructose
Fructose intolerance is a common cause of chronic abdominal pain associated with gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, according to the results of a study reported at the 2010 Annual Scientific meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. Pediatricians from Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, Wash., used a breath test to determine that 132 of 245 symptomatic children, ages 2 to 18 years, were fructose-intolerant. Switching to a low-fructose diet resolved symptoms in over 67 percent of cases. Although the doctors found that this disorder is more common in adolescent girls, it can occur anytime after a baby begins weaning. Fructose is found in apples and other fruits; try eliminating concentrated sources of it, such as juices and packaged foods containing high fructose corn syrup.
Wheat, Barley and Rye
The grains wheat, barley and rye contain gluten, a protein that triggers an abnormal immune response characteristic of celiac disease, also known as gluten intolerance. If your child has a genetic predisposition to gluten intolerance, the protein destroys cilia in the small intestine. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports that about one in 133 people in the United States have the disorder, and among those with family members who have celiac disease, the rate may be as high as 1 in 22. Digestive symptoms of abdominal bloating, gas, irritability, weight loss, foul-smelling stools, diarrhea or constipation are more likely to occur in young children than in adults who have this disease. Nutrient malabsorption may result in delayed growth, anemia or dental enamel defects. Untreated celiac disease is also associated with the development of autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Blood tests may detect the antibodies associated with gluten intolerance. Strict avoidance of dietary gluten is the only treatment for celiac disease.
