Nutrition helps children develop comprehensively

Iron is an essential nutrient for life, part of hemoglobin (a component found in red blood cells), which helps the blood carry oxygen throughout the body.
During the first 4-6 months, the infant will have an adequate iron store, which was accumulated during the days in the mother's womb. After those 4-6 months, iron stores gradually become depleted. At this point, breast milk and iron-fortified formula will help provide iron for the baby but probably will not be enough for the baby's development at this stage.
Therefore, after 6 months, babies need to learn to eat solid foods. At the same time, parents also need to know the iron needs in their children to find iron-rich foods, help their children absorb 11 milligrams of iron per day from food, and prevent the risk of iron-deficiency anemia in children. children , ensuring the all-round development of children.
Good sources of iron for kids are red meat, poultry and eggs as well as plant-based sources of protein such as beans, iron-fortified cereals, whole grains, spinach, broccoli , apricots, prunes and raisins.

In humans, the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere of the brain perform different functions and the two communicate through connections on each side. During the period from birth to 3 years old, the size of the brain will not stop growing. Therefore, daily nutrition to help children develop right and left brain is very important.
DHA and EPA, omega 3 fatty acids necessary for life but the human body cannot produce them. That means the body only consumes this nutrient through the diet.
Parents can start feeding their children oily fish such as salmon, a rich source of unsaturated fats from the time the baby learns to eat solids. While many oily fish contain omega 3 fatty acids, they also contain high levels of mercury. That's why doctors recommend salmon over other deep-sea fish because it's low in mercury.
In addition, sources of omega 3 fatty acids to provide children with right and left brain development can be obtained from poultry eggs. This type of food is extremely popular and easy to prepare into many delicious dishes that all children will love.

Foods that help children develop height and weight are those that contain a lot of protein or protein. Because it's literally a part of every cell in the body that it uses non-stop to build, maintain, and repair body tissues.
Proteins are made up of amino acids, the structural and functional units of proteins. Some of these amino acids are "essential," which means the body cannot make them. That means your baby needs to get them from food, a need that increases as he enters solids. At this time, there are many protein-rich foods that parents can use to prepare meals for their babies, including cattle, poultry, fish, eggs and milk.
In addition, your baby should also get protein from non-animal sources such as nuts, whole grains, legumes, as well as some fruits and vegetables. Some toddler food bags even provide fruit and protein cereals with added protein, helping to ensure that your baby is constantly getting protein from a variety of sources. important in the growth and development of the baby.

Every parent knows babies need calcium for bone health but not everyone knows babies need vitamin D to help bones develop properly. Furthermore, vitamin D is also important for bone mineralization as well as immunity.
Therefore, pediatric nutritionists always recommend that children get 400 IU of vitamin D per day. Accordingly, breastfed or partially breastfed babies need vitamin D supplements while formula-fed babies get enough vitamin D in formula. For extra vitamin D, your pediatrician may prescribe an over-the-counter liquid form. In addition, sunlight is always a factor that helps stimulate the body to synthesize vitamin D throughout life, which is naturally present in the skin into the active form in the body. However, parents should remember not to expose children to the sun for too long without being protected with sunscreen.
Until children learn to eat solids, foods that help children grow taller because they are rich in vitamin D should be provided to children with oily fish, such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel, red meat , liver, egg yolks, grains.

Zinc is an important mineral for your baby's growth and development as it is needed to make protein as well as DNA. Since then, the role of zinc is also very important in maintaining immune function. Therefore, zinc-deficient children may experience growth retardation and increased susceptibility to infections, such as respiratory infections and recurrent diarrhea.
Infants aged 0 to 6 months need 2 mg of zinc per day and children 7 months to 3 years of age need about 3 mg of zinc per day. Formula milk will meet the full zinc needs of an infant until 1 year of age. However, after 6 months of age, it is important for breastfed babies to be introduced to zinc-rich foods to meet their nutritional needs. An easy way to ensure that your child is getting enough of the recommended zinc is to add 2 tablespoons of zinc-fortified cereal twice a day along with pureed meat to prepare a meal for your child.

Vitamin A is very important for children to have healthy skin and normal growth, and it also helps to ensure children's eyesight, prevent eye diseases caused by vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A can be found in abundant amounts in yellow and orange vegetables, dairy products and liver.
B vitamins help the body produce red blood cells and support metabolic activities. Vitamin B is abundant in meat, poultry, fish, soybeans, milk, eggs, whole grains, breads and cereals, so it will meet the needs of young children if they are nourished with a variety of foods.
Vitamin C is a vitamin that helps the body heal and fight infections, and also strengthens tissues, muscles and skin. For a healthy dose of vitamin C, give your child citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and broccoli.
Calcium is very important for teething, growth and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. Inadequate intake of calcium during childhood can affect a child's growth and development. At the same time, children also face the risk of weak, fragile bones or osteoporosis later in life. Therefore, parents need to pay attention to provide adequate calcium for children until puberty, which is found in low-fat milk, sardines, yogurt and cheese or in vegetables like broccoli.
In short, besides breast milk or formula, food provides the energy and nutrients that every baby needs for their full development. Usually, babies are ready to switch to solid foods at around 6 months of age. Therefore, with the above suggestions, parents can choose foods that are adequate and balanced with nutritional needs, ensuring complete physical and mental growth for children according to each child's needs. ages.
Besides, the baby needs to add the necessary micronutrients: Zinc, selenium, chromium, vitamins B1 and B6, ginger, acerola fruit extract (vitamin C), ... to improve taste, eat delicious , reach the right height and weight and exceed the standard, have a good immune system, strengthen the resistance to get sick less often and have less digestive problems.
The improvement of symptoms can take place for a long time, so it is recommended that parents be calm and persistent when supplementing with nutrients for children, even through eating or functional foods. In particular, the use of functional foods should choose those of natural origin that are easily absorbed, do not allow simultaneous use of many types or continuously change the types of functional foods.
For more nutritional knowledge and child care for each age, parents should regularly visit the website vimec.com and make an appointment with the leading doctors, pediatric and nutrition experts of the National General Hospital. Vinmec when needing advice on children's health.