Milk consumption is indeed needed by Little to support its growth. However, milk must be given in sufficient quantities. Drinking too much milk can actually cause health problems in children.
The benefits of milk are important as a source of calcium, protein, fat, and various vitamins for children's growth and development. Even so, milk does not contain iron or fiber. It should be noted also, milk contains high calories, so the amount of intake needs to be considered.
Risk of Health Disorders in Children due to Drinking Too Much Milk
Children aged 1-8 years at least need to drink 250 ml of milk per day and should be no more than 500 ml per day or the equivalent of 2 small glasses. Drinking milk or its processed products (cheese, yogurt) excessively causes health problems, such as:
Difficult bowel movements or constipation
Milk does not contain fiber, so consuming it excessively can trigger your child to have difficulty defecating or constipation. In addition, children who drink too much milk will feel full and lazy to eat other nutritious foods, such as vegetables and fruits.
These behaviors add to the possibility of constipation. This condition is more common in children who drink more than 500-700 ml of milk per day. To maintain the health of your baby's digestive tract, at least choose milk that has been fortified with prebiotics.
Being overweight to obese
Cow's milk formula is generally high in calories and fat, so if consumed too much, can make a child overweight to obesity. Especially if your child likes to consume milk with flavoring and added sugar or even sweetened condensed milk.
Iron deficiency
Not all children's milk has been fortified with iron. In fact, this mineral is needed for the distribution of oxygen throughout the body. If you lack iron, your child can look tired, lazy to eat, and often sick.
When a child drinks too much milk, he may become more lazy to eat because he is already full. This can make him lack of food intake containing iron, so he is more at risk of anemia.
Tips to Prevent Children from Drinking Too Much Milk
Although it is not recommended to consume excessive milk, stopping milk intake for children cannot be used as a solution. However, Little One actually still needs nutrition from milk to grow and develop.
To get around so that your child does not experience the negative effects of drinking too much milk, Mother can do some of the following tips:
Replace full cream milk with low fat milk
Children aged 1-2 years do need to drink full cream milk because it requires a lot of fat intake. But when the child has been aged 2-3 years and over, he can already be given low fat milk, especially if the little one is overweight.
Reduce milk intake and introduce other drinks
Mother can try to reduce the frequency of drinking milk and fill the bottle of Little Baby little by little. Also make it a habit for your child to drink at least 2-5 glasses of water per day, Mother.
Serve interesting nutritious food
Children need a variety of nutrients to grow healthy. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, and various vitamins as well as minerals, such as iron. Mother can serve meat, chicken, vegetables, and fruit as a menu for your child.
To increase a child's appetite, Mother can try to serve these nutritious foods attractively. In addition, persuade Little to eat first before drinking milk. Because when you are full from drinking milk, your little one is usually more lazy to eat again, right?
It should be understood that the absorption of substances that are important during their growth can be disrupted because of drinking too much milk. Therefore, Mother needs to give milk to children in the right dose. If necessary, consult your pediatrician to get the recommended nutritional intake for your child.
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