POCKET GUIDE - Bright Futures - American Academy of Pediatrics

Infancy
20
Bright FUTURES
■ has your baby received breast milk or other fluids from a
bottle or cup?
■ is your baby receiving vitamin D supplements?
■ is your baby receiving an iron supplement and/or
iron-rich foods?
for Parents of formula-fed infants
■ how is formula-feeding going? What formula are you
using now?
■ how often does your baby feed in 24 hours, and how
much does she take at a feeding? Day feedings versus
night feedings?
Screening and Assessment
■ Assess eating behaviors to determine the infant’s risk for
dental caries (tooth decay). Determine whether the infant
has had a dental visit.
■ For breastfed infants, determine whether the infant is
receiving vitamin D supplementation, and assess the
need for iron supplementation.
Anticipatory Guidance
discuss with Parents of all infants
■ introducing solid foods when their infant is developmentally
ready (at about age 4–6 months, when the
sucking reflex changes to allow coordinated swallowing
and the infant is sitting with support and has good head
and neck control).
■ introducing one single-ingredient food at a time,
and observing their infant for 3 to 5 days for possible
allergic reactions.
■ introducing iron-fortified, single-grain infant rice cereal
as the first supplemental food, because it is least likely to
cause an allergic reaction.
■ introducing a variety of pureed or soft meats, fruits, and
vegetables after cereals.
■ Not forcing their infant to eat a new food if the infant does
not like it. (it may take 10–15 attempts before an infant
accepts a particular food.)
■ serving only 100% fruit juice in a cup as part of a meal
or snack, and limiting juice to 4 to 6 oz per day.
■ Placing their infant in a high chair (using a safety belt)
to sit with the family during mealtime.