What to Feed Children with a Heart Condition?

Diet is one of the critical aspects of children who suffer from heart conditions. Even after a lot of hard work, you will find that your child cannot put on weight as quickly as other children. This situation can be very annoying for parents. Let us understand why it happens and how you can take care of the problem.

Doctors at the best child heart hospital in India explain why it is challenging to feed a baby with heart conditions.

• An enlarged liver and heart that provides less space for stomach expansion. Due to this reason, children are not able to hold food.
• Children with heart disease get tired quickly, which only adds to the feeding issues.
• Discomfort due to feeding via nasogastric tubes
• Reflux or allergies that are common in children who suffer from heart conditions.
• The child does not like the food suggested by the consultant.
• Sudden reduction in appetite after getting operated

Here are some tips from cardiology specialists in Hyderabad:

Calories: The cardiologist advises against feeding more calories to your child every day. It is also beneficial for heart health. If your child isn't gaining weight, then try giving him a calorie-dense balanced diet.

Feed him cereals such as bread, rice, nuts, pulses, potatoes, breakfast cereals, pasta, and more. Also, include five portions of vegetables and fruits in the diet. If you are a non-vegetarian, you can also consume meat and fish. Consult a good dietician to determine what high-calorie foods you can feed the baby with a heart condition.

Milk: Add three to four tablespoons of milk powder into a glass of milk. Try to give this 'fortified milk' daily to your child. You can also add it in your preparation of milkshakes, beverages, sauces, soups, breakfast cereals, milkshakes, custard, and more. You can also feed him other dairy options such as condensed milk, evaporated milk, butter, cheese, milk cream in different ways.

Eggs: Start feeding eggs daily to your child. You can prepare delectable egg recipes to provide adequate nutrition to your baby.

Sugar: Sugar is another way to increase body weight. You can add sugar to his drinks, puddings, and cereals. You can apply some spreads and jams to the bread or add them to the pudding.

Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is high in fats. Spread a layer of this delicious ingredient on salty biscuits or sandwiches. Not just will it enhance the flavor but also help gain weight.

Please note that the high fat and high sugar foods should not be fed to the child for a longer time, damaging the heart and kidneys. It can even lead to diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure. So, when you find that your child has started gaining weight, return to a regular balanced diet when he reaches a healthy weight.

Bringing up a child who suffers from a congenital heart defect is incredibly challenging. The problem that this condition brings can pose development problems. In addition to the above tips, there are various books on children's nutrition with heart diseases. Also, you can follow AHA (American Heart dietary recommendations made to promote cardiovascular health of children.

Reading them can enhance your knowledge about feeding methods. With the understanding of the right ways of feeding, you help him lead a healthy, secure, and happy life. As relayed by a cardiology specialist in Hyderabad, these useful dietary tips will help you overcome the problem.