Question

The nurse is teaching the parents of an 8-month-old about what the child should eat. The nurse should include which of the following points in the teaching plan?

a. items from all food groups should be introduced to the infant by the time the child is 10 months old
b. Solid foods should not be introduced until the infant is 10 months old
c. Iron deficiency rarely develops before 12 months of age, so iron-fortified cereals should not be introduced until the infant is 12 months old
d. The infant's diet can be changed from formula to whole milk when the infant is 12 months old

Answer 1

The correct advice is to switch the infant's diet from formula to whole milk at 12 months. Introducing foods from all groups gradually is recommended before this, and iron-fortified cereals should be given starting around 4-6 months to prevent iron deficiency.

Step-by-step explanation:

The infant's diet can be changed from formula to whole milk when the infant is 12 months old.

When educating parents about feeding their 8-month-old child, it's essential to provide accurate and up-to-date nutritional guidance. Solid foods are normally introduced to infants at around 6 months of age. Items from all food groups should be introduced gradually, with a goal that by around 12 months, the infant may be eating a balanced variety of foods. However, babies under 12 months should not be given whole cow's milk as their digestive systems are not yet ready for it. At 12 months, infants may transition from formula or breast milk to whole cow's milk.

Iron-fortified cereals are actually recommended starting around 4-6 months to prevent iron deficiency, and the risk for deficiency increases after 6 months as their iron stores from birth begin to deplete. It's important that a baby's diet includes proper iron sources as part of introducing solid foods. Developmentally, by 12 months, infants are often starting to stand and may take their first steps, indicating readiness for more complex foods in their diet.