OUR WORLD, OUR HERITAGE.: Why babies dont eat whites of egg

Why Can't Infants Eat Egg Whites?

Introduce eggs into a baby's diet slowly to watch for symptoms of a food allergy.

The first year of an infant’s life is full of new opportunities and exiting developments. Along with learning to crawl, play and mimic your sounds, your baby will also develop an interest in new foods -- often attempting to try food from your plate when you’re not looking. Although you might be tempted to give your baby a few bites here and there, be cautious. Certain foods, such as egg whites, can cause serious problems in infants.

Infant Feeding Guidelines

For the first four to six months of an infant’s life, breastmilk and iron-fortified infant formula should be the only food provided. During these first few months, your baby’s digestive system continues to develop and cannot yet handle solid foods such as eggs. Around age four to six months, begin introducing pureed fruits or semi-liquid rice cereal in addition to breastmilk or formula. As your child gets more comfortable with pureed fruits, introduce pureed vegetables, meats and beans around age six to eight months. Around eight to 10 months of age, add egg yolks to your baby’s diet. After hard-boiling an egg, remove the shell and egg white and use a fork to break the yolk into small pieces.

Infants and Egg Allergies

Since egg allergies can create dangerous symptoms in kids, many pediatricians do not recommend serving egg whites until the baby is older than one year. Since the egg white contains allergenic components, yolks generally tend to be safer. Your pediatrician will recommend a good time to introduce egg whites. After introducing both the yolks and the whites, monitor your child for signs of an allergic reaction. Symptoms of a food allergy include flushing, an itchy rash or hives, swelling, irritability, diarrhea, vomiting and wheezing. Contact your pediatrician if signs of an egg allergy appear -- or seek emergency medical treatment if your baby has swelling near the mouth or throat or difficulty breathing, or is excessively vomiting.

Allergies vs. Sensitivities

The “Parents” Magazine website explains that it’s not uncommon for kids to have a negative reaction to eggs the first time they try them. In many cases, this negative reaction is just a food sensitivity, rather than an allergy. Symptoms of food sensitivities might include gas, constipation or vomiting. If you suspect a food sensitivity, avoid eggs for a few weeks before slowly introducing them back into your baby’s diet.

Other Concerns

Make sure the egg whites or yolks are completely cooked before giving them to your baby. Raw or undercooked eggs might contain salmonella, a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Also avoid feeding your child any foods that contain raw eggs, such as homemade ice cream, mousse or raw cookie dough or cake batter.

OUR WORLD, OUR HERITAGE.

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Why babies dont eat whites of egg

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