For families with babies, ensuring the healthy growth of their children is every parent’s wish. In the process of promoting the healthy growth of babies, balanced diet is extremely crucial, to avoid children being picky eaters and ensure they receive various nutrients. Zinc, as one of the important trace elements, plays an irreplaceable role in the growth and development of children. So, how should parents grasp the best time to supplement zinc for their babies?
First, zinc supplementation should be based on a doctor’s diagnosis. If the test results show that the baby is indeed zinc deficient, the doctor may recommend supplements such as zinc sulfate syrup or zinc gluconate. However, it should be noted that zinc supplementation should follow the doctor’s advice, strictly control the duration of medication, usually not exceeding 2 to 4 months, and stop zinc supplementation after normal rechecking. Because the effective dose of zinc is close to the dose that may cause poisoning, improper use may lead to side effects such as iron deficiency, copper deficiency, and anemia.
When supplementing zinc, it is also important to pay attention to taking other nutritional supplements 2-3 hours apart to avoid affecting absorption efficiency. In fact, most babies, especially breastfed infants, usually do not lack zinc. However, if the baby has picky eating habits, dislikes meat or dairy products, or sweats a lot, supplemental zinc may be needed in these cases. The best time for supplementation is between meals.
As for the daily intake of zinc needed by babies, the standard recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society is: 3 mg per day for 6-month-old babies; 5 mg for 7-12 months old; and 10 mg for toddlers aged 1-3 years. When breastfeeding, mothers should also increase their zinc intake to about 20 mg per day because breast milk is an important source of zinc for babies, and the zinc content in colostrum is particularly rich, with an absorption rate of up to 62%.
Faced with the possible zinc deficiency in babies, the primary solution is to adjust the diet structure, try to supplement through food rather than rely on medication. Balancing intake of meat, eggs, vegetables, dairy products, and staple foods generally can meet daily needs. Nut foods such as walnuts, peanut butter, and red dates are also good sources of calcium, iron, and zinc. If there are still issues after dietary adjustments, it may be a problem with the baby’s absorption, in which case it is advisable to recheck to confirm the situation.
In conclusion, cultivating good eating habits for babies is crucial, being non-picky eaters, consuming a wide range of foods rich in essential nutrients, will help babies fully absorb nutrients, ensuring physical health, and robust growth.
