I have a child

Proper nutrition of the child is a very responsible task for the whole family. Parents from the very birth of their baby are faced with a lot of questions on this topic and are looking for the right answers. And if breastfeeding is forcibly stopped for one reason or another, then the first task is to find the right baby food for your child. It is necessary to constantly monitor the composition, volume and quality of food consumed by the child throughout the entire period of its growth. There are a lot of baby food and literature on this subject, but it makes sense to dwell on the problem of food allergies.

Currently, various types of food allergies in children are found more and more often – for cow’s milk and dairy products, chicken eggs, meat, chocolate and cocoa, fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, some herbs and spices, etc. This is due, according to various estimates, not only to the hereditary factor, but also directly to the deterioration of the environmental situation, the presence of many artificial additives in food, and other reasons. The biggest problem for parents is their child’s allergy to certain proteins – sodium caseinate (the main protein of milk), fish proteins, certain types of meat, as well as intolerance to gluten (wheat protein) and lactose (milk sugar). Making a daily diet for such children is a very important and difficult task, and an experienced allergist can not do here. Various allergic reactions (neurodermatitis, urticaria, edema, eczema, asthma, etc.) can fundamentally worsen a child’s health and make life difficult for the whole family. It is necessary to identify the causes of allergies in time, and if it is food, it is necessary to exclude dangerous products from the child’s diet and find an adequate replacement for them. Of course, eliminating allergenic foods is quite easy, and even simple if necessary, provide gluten-free and lactose-free nutrition (see the articles “I don’t eat gluten” and “I can’t lactose”). However, finding a worthy replacement for animal proteins that cause allergies, especially milk protein – is not an easy task. At the same time, the development of protein deficiency cannot be allowed, since without the basic high-grade proteins it is impossible to ensure the correct development and growth of the child.

In these cases, the main alternative is soy protein, an allergy to which is less common. Along with casein, it is soy protein that is the basis for breast milk substitutes for infants and various mixtures for baby food. According to numerous scientific studies, isolated soy protein (soy protein) with a main component content above 90% can be absolutely safely used in children’s diets from birth. And after three years of age, you can include other soy products in the diet of the child. According to the recommendations of the Research Institute of Nutrition RAMS, from 3 years old high protein concentrates with soy protein content of more than 65%, i.e. concentrates and isolates (but not soy flour). According to the Order of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (No. 1100 / 904-99-115 from 1999), soy protein concentrates and isolates in the form of independent dishes or additives to traditional dishes are included in the range of food products recommended for use in the nutrition of children and adolescents in organized collectives (kindergartens, educational institutions, orphanages, boarding schools, etc.).

Another group of products from soybeans (drinking and dried soy milk, tofu, okara, soy yogurt, bifidonik) can be included in the diet of the child at the discretion of the parents. Rospotrebnadzor of the Russian Federation believes that additional approvals are needed to use these products in kindergartens and schools. But the parents of a child with milk protein intolerance need to feed something to their child every day, and they don’t need such coordination.

For vegan parents who form a vegan diet for their children, soy protein is generally essential in baby food, regardless of the presence or absence of food allergies in their children. Pea protein and, in general, all legumes (chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, beans), as well as all types of vegetable milk, are a good alternative to milk protein.

In general, the preparation of a low-allergenic diet for allergic children is based on a medical history, allergic skin tests, and laboratory tests. It is necessary to draw up the so-called “Permit lists” – what is strictly forbidden to use, which products are allowed to be consumed in limited quantities, and which products are acceptable, despite positive skin tests. When compiling lists, the consumption of basic foodstuffs and the supply of the child’s body with vitamins, minerals and trace elements are highlighted. Prohibited foods – it sounds pessimistic, but you should always remember that permissive lists, compiled together with an allergist, open up space for parents to culinary imagination and give optimism.