Authors : P.G. Reshma Xalxo and Shanta Badaik
Abstract: Adequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is critical to the development of children’s full human potential. Poor infant and young child feeding practices coupled with high rate of infectious diseases are the proximate causes of malnutrition during the 1st 2 years of life. The second half of an infant’s 1st year is an especially vulnerable time. When breast milk alone is no longer sufficient to meet his or her nutritional requirements. So, supplementary feeding should start at the right time. Many children suffer from under nutrition and growth failure during this period with consequences those persist throughout their life. Children need supplementary food in addition to breast milk from the age of 6 months. In India, common problems include the provision of poor quality of supplementary food, insufficient amount of supplementary food, insufficient breastfeeding, detrimental feeding practices and contamination of supplementary food and feeding utensils. In addition if supplementary foods are given too early or too frequently, they displace breast milk which is not good for the health of children.
P.G. Reshma Xalxo and Shanta Badaik, 2012. Infant and Pre-School Child Feeding Practices: A Comparative Study in Some Selected Urban and Slum Area of Rourkela, India. The Social Sciences, 7: 257-261.