IT is important to ensure a child’s nutrition needs are met for a healthy future and avoid setting them up for failure – healthwise.
An eight-year-old child, raised on a poor diet, allegedly suffered devastating consequences.
Medical doctor, Erna Nadia, shared the child’s woeful experience of going completely blind one day in class, based on one of her friend’s cases.
Erna said in a Facebook post that the child was diagnosed with a “severe Vitamin A deficiency” after going through multiple medical tests.
“When the dietitian investigated, (it was found that) the child only consumed processed foods such as nuggets, sausages and cookies since infancy until (now),” Erna said in her post.
Her friend, the dietitian, claimed this actually happened in the capital and the child’s parents do not work “ordinary jobs”.
ALSO READ: More children are facing consequences of poor diet: Unicef
As Erna’s friend shared the child’s story, she could not help but feel angry at the parents for raising the child on a “terrible” diet but also sympathised with their situation being too busy to live a comfortable enough life.
She then advised parents to always buy foods deemed nutritious enough even though they may not have enough time to cook.
“Chicken rice is okay. Rice noodle soup is okay and (you) have to force them to eat healthy foods.
“Even if you have to feed them, it is okay as long as they eat the right food to get their nutritional needs met,” she added.
Netizens agreed with Erna’s sentiments but speculated that the child could be a picky eater, drawing from personal experiences.
Others expressed concern about the food parents pack for their children’s school break time which is said to consist of junk food or deep-fried foods.
ALSO READ: Long-term effects of obesity in children
