Key Information for Your Child's Stay
nutrition
Keep Your Child Growing and Healthy
Good nutrition helps your child grow and have a healthy body. Children in the hospital especially need good nutrition to help keep them growing. It gives their bodies the calories and protein needed to help fight illnesses and side effects.
Your child may not always feel like eating if they are sick, so it’s important to let your child eat anytime, not just at mealtimes. You may try giving your child several small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals. If your child still does not want to eat, talk to their doctor.
Benefits for Your Child
Feeding your child a nutritious diet can help them:
- maintain a healthy weight
- handle medicine side effects and illness better
- prevent some diseases, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease
- balance moods and energy
- develop healthy life habits
It’s important to focus on healthy eating early in life. Eating habits that start young are likely to stay with your child into adulthood.
How to Encourage Healthy Eating
- Be a role model.
To set a good example for your child, eat healthy foods yourself. Talk about food and nutrition positively. Try not to talk negatively about your body or focus on unhealthy food.
- Start young.
Expose your child to healthy food early in life. This will make healthy eating easier as they grow older.
- Give your child choices. Bring your child to the grocery store, and have them choose fruit and vegetables. Your child may be more likely to eat produce that they picked out.
- Keep healthy snacks around.
Have a bowl of fresh fruit on the table as a reminder to snack healthy.
- Don’t force your child to “clean the plate.” It’s more important that your child listen to their body and only eat until they feel full.
What Is Normal Growth?
Children who are the same age may be different sizes. This is okay—body size often depends on the parents’ genetics. It’s more important to track your child’s growth rate. Ask your doctor to help you track it. And remember that exercise, good sleep habits and nutrition all help to keep your child’s growth on track.
If your child is sick, you may worry about slow growth. Talk to your child’s doctor about any concerns you have.
Not Eating?
If your child is sick and doesn’t want to eat very much, they may not be getting enough calories. Talk to a nutritionist about adding calories to food. Some ways to add calories include giving peanut butter with fruits and veggies, using whole milk instead of low-fat, or adding protein supplements to soft foods like yogurt or pudding. Be sure to talk to your child’s doctor before making any diet changes.
Don’t Forget Breakfast
Eating breakfast is important for good nutrition. It refills your child’s body with important nutrients and provides energy for the day. Children who skip breakfast may not get enough fiber, vitamins and minerals in their diet. Be sure to give your child healthy breakfast options, like whole-grain cereal or toast, eggs, fruit or yogurt.