Semi-solids are foods which contain small particles that can be mashed with the gums, and are typically among children's first solid foods. However, children should never be given these foods in their bottles because they pose a choking hazard. Overuse of solids in the early months of a child's life can also lead to nutritional deficits, according to pediatrician William Sears in his book "The Portable Pediatrician."
Nutrition for Babies
Children should eat exclusively breast milk or formula until they're 6 months old, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Giving young babies semi-solids during this time is unnecessary and poses several health risks. Thereafter, children should gradually transition to solid foods. To eat solids, children must learn to mash the food with their gums and then to chew larger pieces of food. Encouraging children to drink solids can interfere with this process and doesn't speed up the transition to solid foods.
Rice Cereal Bottles
Some pediatricians recommend giving children with reflux rice cereal in their bottles, according to Sears. However, this practice is controversial and many pediatricians have begun to advise against it. Several recent studies indicate that feeding a child in a semi-upright position and frequent nursing are more effective treatments for reflux, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. You should never give your child rice cereal unless advised to do so by your pediatrician, and if your pediatrician recommends rice cereal, ensure that the consistency is very thin. Never give your child other semi-solids.
Choking Hazards
During their first 6 months, children have several reflexes that cause them to immediately swallow anything placed in their mouth. They don't have the proper physiological skills to chew or mash food, and semi-solids can easily become lodged in a baby's throat, according to the textbook "Child Psychology." When children are old enough to begin eating solid foods, they can still choke on semi-solids. Further, giving a child semi-solids in her bottle may encourage her to swallow solids whole, increasing her choking risk when she eats solid food.
Nutritional Deficits
Children need breast milk or formula to grow and develop properly during the first 6 months. Solids replace the calories of these foods with calories that are less nutritionally complete, according to Sears. Given in large quantities, semi-solids can cause nutritional deficits. Further, because breast milk provides children with numerous benefits such as increased immunity and better cognitive development, solids given during breastfeeding reduce the quantity of valuable nutrients in breast milk children receive, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
References
- Caring for Your Baby and Young Child; American Academy of Pediatrics
- The Portable Pediatrician; William Sears, M.D. et al.
- Child Psychology; Robin Harwood et al.
