Nutrition for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
Works Cited Not INcluded
Each child is a unique individual whose heredity and environment shape the course of his or her life. Woven into the daily life are aspects of food and nutrition. What childhood memories of food do you have? Are these memories healthy or unhealthy?
Foods and their nutrients are essential to life. In the beginning years of life an infant’s nutritional health depends on the family unit. Parents must have knowledge of the changing food needs of the child and must also have sufficient resources to provide food, shelter, and clothing for the family. Equally important, parents create the cultural and psychological environment that influences the development of food habits, setting the patterns for later years.
During the preschool years some children depend solely on family caregivers for their nutritional needs. For other preschooler children the responsibility for meeting nutritional needs is shared by the family and others, such as caregivers in child-care centers and babysitters. The child entering school becomes influenced by teachers and peers, and learns to broaden his or her experiences with food. For many people, the adolescent years often are turbulent as the teenager seeks independence and freedom from adult rules and standards.
In this research, I will focus on nutrition, in retrospect to growth and development in infants, preschoolers, school children and adolescents.
Infants
Infants vary widely in their growth patterns, so it would be unwise to compare one infant with another. Yet there is value in being familiar with typical patterns of growth and development. At birth, the fetus makes an abrupt transition to...
... middle of paper ...
...oisoning can be harmful, obesity occurs, and hyperactivity can result. …….
Preadolescents and Adolescents
A third and final period of rapid growth and metabolism occurs during this stage. At this stage, teenagers have many interest in their physical and emotional development. For example, important topics are the size and shape of their bodies; their complexion, their overall appearance; and physical activity. Girls express a particular need for a good figure, healthy skin, and beautiful hair. Boys are more likely to be interested in tall stature, muscular development, and athletic vigor and stamina.
The RDA’s for adolescents are somewhat higher than those for adults men and women, with corresponding higher allowances for most vitamins and minerals. These increases are to satisfy the increased nutrient needs caused by their adolescent growth spurt.
Mesías M1, Seiquer I, Navarro MP. Calcium nutrition in adolescence, Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011;51(3):195-209. doi: 10.1080/10408390903502872
Wyatt, C. Jane, and M.A. Triana Tejas. "Nutrient Intake and Growth of Preschool Children from Different Socioeconomic Regions in the City of Oaxaca, México." Nutrition And Metabolism. 44. (2000): n. page. Print.
World hunger is a very important epidemic because of the risks or implications it imposes on the rest of the world. Juveniles are the utmost apparent victims of under-nutrition. 2.6 million children die as a result of hunger-related causes each year. 66 million school-aged children go to classes hungry across the developing world, with 23 million in Africa alone. One in four of the world's youth are kept from growing due to malnutrition. In developing countries the proportion can rise to one in three. A strong maternal-infant bond provided through psychosocial stimulation is essential for positive child development. The formation of this bond at the beginning of life is an essential step that sets the stage for cognitive,emotional, and social development later in life. Feeding and other care practices provide opportunities for psychosocial stimulation and help to establish a positive attachment between caregiver and child.(WHO) Under-nutrition magnifies the effect of every disease, such as measles,diarrhea and malaria. Asia has the largest number of hungry people (over 500 million) however S...
Whitney, E., DeBruyne, L. K., Pinna, K., & Rolfes, S. R. (2007). Nutrition through the Life Span: Childhood and Adolescence . Nutrition for health and health care (3rd ed., pp. 301-329). Belmount: Thomson/Wadsworth.
Infants go through many changes in their first two years of life. All are very important and should be monitored, but the physical change in an infant is the most noticeable change. By the
The birth weight of an infant is an important issue, as it plays significant roles in infant/childhood mortality and also has important health implications in overall growth and development of individuals.1 Birth weight has been shown to be an index of intrauterine growth and a reliable predictor of child survival and mental development.23
Dwyer, J.T., Dietz, W.H., Andrews, E.M. & Suskind, R.M. (1982) Nutritional status of Vegetarian children: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 35(2), 204-216.
One stage of adolescent development that my teen went through was puberty. Puberty is different for girls and boys and is manifested differently as they go through many physical and cognitive changes. As I was raising my teen daughter I noticed that the changes in her body during puberty played a role in the way she viewed herself. By age 11 she became more interested in her appearance as a result of some compliments from some boys in her school. She started to wear makeup to school every day and became more interested in buying new clothes and shoes. As pu...
13 (3), 524. Retrieved from Healthy Child Care Library of Articles: http://healthychild.net/NutritionAction.php?article_id=524. Sorte, J., Daeschel, I., Amador, C. (2011). Nutrition, Health, and Safety for Young Children. (Ashford University, ed.).
Children between the ages of 8-12 are defined as being within the developmental stage of middle childhood. At this age, the rapid development of previous stages has decreased and the physical changes within this period are slower and more defined. The refinement of gross and fine motor skills is a critical aspect of this stage as the delayed or retarded development can have significant impact on the areas of cognitive, social and emotional development. In order to ensure children are equipped with the correct knowledge and understanding of health, well being and healthy eating, the period of middle childhood is one in which these aspects are incorporated and failure to properly do so can result in long term ramifications and problems.
Child obesity is at its highest in the United States. With fast food restaurants spreading, new food products being produced, and health rates hiking in children between ages of 3-13, children are at a higher risk of reaching obesity. Nutrients are very important for children to contain in their body due to the fact they are growing regularly. Without the specific vitamins and minerals needed in the body, lack of physical activity, and false parental guidance, children are in jeopardy of becoming overweight. Should parents be responsible for this issue? Parents are accountable for their children’s health, because as their child grows, it is a parent’s job to supply correct and healthy resources to their children.
The misconception that many parents have about nutritional and the many malnourished children in the world cause long-term nutritional problems. The results of these problems such as protein-calorie malnutrition, marasmus, kwashiorkor, and formula have cause children to grow into adulthood with disorders or worse they don’t even live to see adulthood. Some children don’t have any kind to thrive with thin frail bones; some children are forced to deal with swollen face, legs, arms and abdomens; and other children are more vulnerable to other diseases such as measles, diarrhea and influenza. Not only do children not grow, but they also have excessive weight gain during childhood.
Developmental effects are what make a teen a teen. At the beginning of adolescence, a teenager undergoes many changes in their life physically. In fact, sources have said that teens change faster than any other age range (Lindsay 22). They will “shoot up in their height” (Fenwick 15). A girl will start growing around the age of nine and ten and reach full maturity about age 16, while guys start at roughly twelve and reach full maturity around age eighteen. Teen weight fluctuates often as well. It might even double between the ages of ten and eighteen (Fenwick 16). For guys, this weight is mainly muscle but for girls, the weight is both muscle and fat (Fenwick 17). These changes do not always happen at the same time for everybody. The earlier developers are normally smarter than the standard and delayed developers. Also, they are taller than their friends, which for guys will make them popular but it will make girls feel like they don’t belong, and develop bad posture as a resul...
I believe that parents, caregivers, or anyone that has contact with a toddler should know about what nutrition they need and why local produce is better for the toddler. I choose toddler’s nutrition because in psychology class, we are studying their development, so something as simple as what fruits and vegetables they eat can affect all points throughout the toddler’s life. In addition, my sister is pregnant so as the aunt of the child, I feel I have the responsibility in helping my younger sister and teaching her nutrition for her baby. After researching, I know that feeding local produce to my niece or nephew when they become toddlers is vital and can, enhance their development. So let’s learn about toddle...
In recent studies, evidence shows that malnourished children might be essentially unintelligent. Another piece of information to keep in mind is that “Malnutrition is but one of a critical group of environmental factors affecting the development of the nervous system” (Morgane et al). If the nervous system is affected during development this should urge parents and caregivers to support their child’s development by providing a positive environment that includes appropriate toys, books, and games. By providing extra materials it will keep the child’s brain active and thinking which would stimulate brain growth. To add on, the effects of malnutrition “on the developing central nervous system have been studied mainly because of the widespread incidence of infantile malnutrition and the considerable evidence that many of its effects are permanent and are associated with impairments of higher mental functions, including deficits in intelligence” (Morgane et al). Since there is a high mental functions that come with impairment, it is extremely important for parents to make sure they take care of their own body since they have a developing fetus inside of