UK Government Guidelines on Food and Nutrition

UK Government Guidelines on victuals and NutritionNutrition is the term utilise for the science or study of forage and how the body uses the constituent s of food (Carolyn C., Food Nutrition and How the Body Works, P.23)Children require the right amount of vitamins and minerals to erect healthy development, therefore the UK government has set guidelines for babies and chelaren food usance to promote healthy development.The Food Standards Agency is responsible for food safety and food hygienics across the UK. The Food Standards Agency works closely with local authority enforcement officers to make sure food law is applied through and throughout the food chain. The Food standards Agency enforces good food hygiene through the hygiene rating and a small fry alimony provider essentialiness be able to coiffe to a good rating. The rating is from a scale of 0 5.The main government guidelines on food and nutrition post be identified in the table belowBIRTH TO 6 MONTHS6-9 MONTHS9 M ONTHS +Breast draw or infant formula is the only food that a child postulate from birth to 6-months. In the child care setting breast milk must be properly stored to prevent food poising .Adequate sterilization and hygiene must be maintained for both breast milk and infant formula.Various ranges of prepared food and cereals are available for baby consumption and these could also be prepared and pureed at home, frozen into ice cube trays and used when needed.Along with healthy fruits and cereal snacks, breast milk and infant formula can suave be given.For hungry babies weaning process begin ealier, though government guidelines states that solid food should be introduced after 6months.Child care provider has to avoid roughly food types such as Eggs, Liver, fish, shellfish, nuts, run acrossds, wheat and gluten-based food, unpasteurised and soft cheese.Babies diet should include milk and dairy, fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs and beans, rice, potatoes and starchy foods and these should be observed by the child care provider in a child care setting for healthy livingThe recommended guideline for serving of solid food subdivision from 9 months is 2 servings per day of meat, fish, eggs and pulses3 to 4 servings per day of fruit and vegetables3 to 4 servings per day of potatoes, bread and rice.Vitamins drops may still be given to supplement the vitamins A , C , and D got from food as advised by the Department of Health to prevent children lacking these vitamins.Vitamin A helps children to see in dim light, supports and strengthen the immune placement and ensure healthy skin.Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron and supports immune system.Vitamin D helps strengthen bones and dish up the absorption of calcium.All these must be maintained by the child care provider to achieve healthy lifestyle for the children.TYPES OF FOOD THAT ARE ill-matched FOR BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDRENAny food and drink provided by the childcare setting should be properly prepare d, nutritious and comply with any special dietary requirements. (Teena K, Childrens Care Learning and Development, P.128)Government guidance on food considered to be unsuitable for babies and young children is key for both parents and child care providers. The food type that is unsuitable for babies and young children are sugar, honey, Nuts, Eggs, Raw shellfish, Foods low in Fat, Swordfish, Shark and Marlin.Sugar authors acid erosion which is the main coiffe of tooth decay in children. progeny children should avoid sugar oddly sugary drinks and snack which are majorly in pre-packed convenience foods. Child care provider must ensure that children are encourage to take only water and milk and avoid fizzy drinks and sugary snacks to prevent tooth decay which affects the milk teeth. Good.Honey It is naturally believed that this liquid gold is fall in for consumption that white refined sugars but for infant below 1 socio-economic class of age, ingesting honey is unsuitable for th eir health and wellbeing. Honey may be foul by bacteria called Clostridium botulinum though not harmful to adult but grows in the gastrointestinal raceway of babies below 1 year and cause a medical condition called Infant Botulism. One of the symptoms is constipation, child failing to feed and later lethargy which manifest months after consumption of spores, which grows in the gastro-intestinal track of infant as they grow and releases toxins into the bloodstream. Infant Botulism in babies can be treated with artificial Ventilation in incubator and a drug named botullinum immune globulin (BabyBIG).Salt It is one of United Kingdom most excessively consumed minerals. Salt is dangerous for babies because their kidney cannot process the salt the way an adult kidneys can. It is important for parents and child care providers to prepare food for babies at home and avoid processed convenience foods, as recommended in the guidelines by Food Standards Agency in the salt consumption table belowThe recommended maximum daily salt intake for infant children and adultAgeTarget average salt intake (g/d)0-6 monthsLess than 17-12months11-3years24-6years37-10 years511 years+6Nuts Nuts can cause choking hazard in children under 5years especially whole nuts. From NHS information, percentage of population affected by peanut allergy is 1%.Childcare provider must ensure that children with allergy reaction to nuts or who have siblings with allergy to nuts should not be given nuts with parental consent.Eggs Eggs should be avoided for babies below 6months, especially if a family member has egg allergy. Babies delicate intestinal system reacts to protein in eggs up to the age of 6months and after 6months child care provider must ensure that egg is well cooked to reduce the risk of salmonella infection in eggs which causes diarrhoea and vomiting.Swordfish, Shark and Marlin These have levels of mercury which can be pernicious to the growth of a baby nervous system. If the recommen ded limit is exceeded, it allows a toxic build-up in children and adverse effect on the central nervous system and cause impairments in movement and cognitive brain function by displacement of essential neurons.Foods low in fat Children should be given whole milk yoghurt fromage frais, as children get essential nutrients and energy from foods containing fat and this is not present in low fat food. The fat containing food can be slowly reduced after the age of 2years.Raw Shellfish shellfish should be avoided in children as it is allergenic and contains salmonella bacteria that cause food poisoning. It should be avoided until older age.CHILD RECORD FORMChild record form for a new child in child care setting with item dietary requirementsCHILD RECORD FORMTo be completed and signed by the parent/guardian/carer and given to the childminder.Childs nameJoy IdaraDate of birth23/11/2009Home address44 Well road, Colchester, EssexPost CodeCO4 0AZ skirt number 074 lift/Guardian/Carers NameEs se IdaraAddress (if different from above) ___________________________________________________________Place of work Milnet, ColchesterWork number 01206Mobile074Parent/Guardian/Carers NameMatt IdaraAddress (if different from above) ___________________________________________________________Place of workBaka Mill, ColchesterWork number 01206..Mobile074Who to contact in an pinch (other than Parent/guardian/carer) Mary BandTelephone number 074..Name of person who will collect childEsse IdaraOther persons who may collect childMatt IdaraFurther information (if necessary) _________________________________________________________Childs doctorRaymond RockAddressMain Surgery, Ipswich road, colchesterTelephone number01206.. immunisation/Vaccinations Has the child been fully immunised against YES/NODiphtheria Whooping cough yesTetanus yesPolio yesMeasles yesMumps yesRubella yesHib Meningitis yesOther________________________________________________________________Special Diet/ Allergies/ Health problems/ Childhood illnessesJoy is sensitised to cow milk and so must not take cow milk or come in contact with a cow as this can cause allergic reaction by swelling of throat and mouth, or burn on skin.If there is an emergency due to ingestion, administer epinephrine through an Epi-pen as prescribed by her Doctor this is kept in her locked container. This should be administered by a properly trained person.Good.Anything else the childminder should know about your child e.g. likes dislikes, fears, comfort items, Special words ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________PARENT/GUARDIAN/CARER Signature _____________________________ Date ________________Note that this form should be documented accurately in case of emergency and for first aid administration and treatmentCHILDHOOD CHRONIC DISEASESChronic Disease is a long-lasting condition that can be controlled but not cured. Mo st chronic diseases do not resolve spontaneously, and are generally not cured completely. several(prenominal) can be immediately life-threatening others can persist over time and can be intensive in terms of management (e.g. diabetes). Most chronic diseases persist in an individual through life, but are not always the cause of death.Children suffer from various chronic diseases which can have effect on their physical and mental development. Some childhood chronic diseases which can affect development are Diabetes, bronchial asthma, Cystic Fibrosis and Cerebral Palsy.Diabetes Diabetes is a lifelong condition thatcauses a persons blood sugar level to become too high (NHS Choices, Health A-Z, Diabetes). It is caused by having too much glucose in the blood and has two types. symbol 1 is diagnosed in adolescence and controlled by insulin injection, Type 2 diagnosed in adulthood and controlled through diet and tablets.Development can be adversely affected by diabetes retinopathy, in w hich damage occurs to the blood vas in the retina which can impair a child vision and damage the eyes, thereby affecting the physical and intellectual development due to loss of sight. Also, diabetes nephrotic syndrome causes complication to the feet and if sores and blisters to the fee are not treated infection can occur and result in nerve damage to the feet.Asthma Asthma is a chronic condition affecting the lungs which can be effectively controlled in most children. Asthma affects the airways, when a child comes in contact with something that irritates their lungs know as trigger such as tobacco smoke, pollen or allergy like pet hair, their airways narrow, the lining becomes inflamed, the muscles around them tighten, and there is an increase in the production of bunglesome mucus or phlegm. This makes it difficult to breathe and causes symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Some of the medication for the treatment of asthma is preventer and reliever inhal er, and steroid medication.Asthma can affect emotional and intellectual development, for instance if a child is always absent from school to get treatment for the disease, this in turn affects the child target in school by missing work at school.Cystic Fibrosis Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition in which the lungs and digestive system become cloggedwith thick sticky mucus. It is an inherited chronic health condition that affects a child internal organ particularly the lungs. This causes pancreatic problems resulting into poor digestion of food and leading to poor development by inadequate growth as a result of malnutrition. Cystic fibrosis can be treated with range of therapies, including medication, diet, and physical therapy to remove mucus from the lungs.Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the brain, that usually occurs before, during or after a child is born. Cerebral palsy refers to group of neurological conditions such as muscle problems, speech impairm ent and stiffness on one side of the body.Cerebral palsy affects children in umteen ways such as children having mobility problems, and some requiring lifelong care. This affects physically, emotional and intellectual development through hearing and visual impairment and delayed growth. Also, it can cause serious distress for those caring for the child. Help and support to parents and those caring for children is available on NHS choices website.Reference ListCarolyn Childs, 2001, Food and Nutrition in the first Years, UK, Hodder StoughtonMarilyn B.Dawn R. and Katty W. , 1999, Early Years Care, UK, Hodder StoughtonNHS Choices, Health A-Z (www.nhs.uk)Teena Kamen, 2007, Childrens Care Learning and Development, UK, Hodder ArnoldTina B Carolyn M, 2006, Understanding the Behaviour of Children, UK, Hodder Education