Unsafe food for baby

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As your baby grows, he will be more adventurous and eager to try more food. 

His first reaction when he tries the food for the first time could be quite hilarious. If you have a video camera, you may want to capture it. But in your eagerness to introduce new food to him, do remember that some food are not safe for your child. Some pose as a choking hazard, a few are not suitable for your child’s developing digestive system and others are potential allergens.

Food to avoid

Citrus fruit can cause allergic reaction in some children below the age of 1 year old.

Egg white is a rich source of protein but some children may be allergic to them. Introduce egg white only after 1 year old.

Honey may contain spores of Clostridium botulinum which causes botulism  (a rare, but serious paralytic illness caused by a toxin, botulin that is produced by Clostridium botulinum) . Unlike an adult’s intestinal tract which can prevent the growth of these spores, the spores can grow in baby and produce toxins which can endanger the life of a baby.

Nuts may cause allergic in some babies. Introduce nuts only after 1 year old. This includes peanut butter. Whole nuts or pieces of nuts can be a choking hazard.

Wheat or wheat products like cereal is okay with most babies at 6 to 8 months of age. But if you think that your child is at risk of allergic reaction, then delay it to 1 year old.

Shellfish is highly allergenic and should not be introduced before the age of 1 year old. For sensitive babies, it is best to postpone it till they are 3 or 4 years old.

Large chunks of food are dangerous as they may get stuck in your child’s throat. Fruit like grapes should be cut into quarters before being served to your child. Soft food like mashmallow or jelly candies may also be a choking hazard.

Warning signs of an allergic reaction.

Signs of an allergic reaction to food include vomiting, diarrhea, rash, swelling, abdominal pain, cough, crankiness, excessive gas, hives, itching, runny nose, shortness of breath, stomach bloating, and wheezing. Symptoms most often show up within a few hours of eating. Call your doctor right away if you think your child may be reacting badly to something he ate.

6 Comments so far

  1. Linda on March 27th, 2008

    You may want to watch highly acidic foods as well…citrus and tomatoes…and strawberries should not be fed to a child until after a year. I know that some “finger foods” include dehydrated strawberries or tomato flavoring. I gave these to my son from about 10 months on. I then continued to feed him cut up berries and tomatoes. He would develop contact dermatitis around his mouth whenever exposed. Shortly after this, he developed a small raised rash (not hives) on his torso..it was itchy and irritating to him. By the process of elimination, we discovered it was tomatoes and strawberries causing the issue.

    The doctor told us early exposure may have been a problem. We still have issues, he is 4.

  2. Richard on April 1st, 2008

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  3. troubled teens on April 5th, 2008

    to be able to know the right food for your baby, you should seek a doctor for informations on what kind of food can cause allergy to your baby

  4. Mommie on April 11th, 2008

    I don’t know if I’d call these foods “unsafe” per say, but rather cautionary in case of reaction. My son eats entire oranges, tomatoes, whatever, and he’s 11 mo. We are lucky he has never had any type of reaction and allergies don’t run on either side of our family. The only things we were cautioned on by our pediatrician were nuts and honey until after a year, so we just followed her recommendation.

    My recommendation would be to only introduce one new food a week, in case of a reaction.

    Mommie
    http://www.mommieshome.net

  5. Chris on April 11th, 2008

    This brings back memory when my wife and I just starting out with our children…

  6. Little Karl on May 8th, 2008

    Hi,

    Very informative article. Now I have an idea on the DO’s & DON’Ts when I started eating. Please make many articles on this so you could help babies like me.

    If you have time, please visit me also at http://littlekarl.com

    Best regards.

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