Avoid Adding Onions to Complementary Foods for Young Children

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Paediatric gastroenterology consultant Prof. Dr. Pramita Gayatri has advised parents not to add any kind of onion to complementary foods for children under the age of two.

“The ingredients to avoid in complementary foods for children up to around two years old are all types of onion: garlic, shallots, onions, spring onions and celery,” she said during an interview with ANTARA in Jakarta on Wednesday.

She said food containing onions could trigger stomach acid to rise and irritate the oesophagus, causing a condition known as oesophagitis and pathological reflux.

According to her, pathological reflux can cause sinus problems, ear disorders in babies and fever.

Dr Pramita said that if oesophagitis and pathological reflux are not detected and treated early, they could develop into gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, or GORD.

GORD can affect a child’s digestion and growth. The pain caused by the condition can also make children more irritable and unsettled.

For this reason, Dr Pramita advised parents not to use different types of onion to add variety to complementary foods.

Instead, she said, parents could add salt, butter or cheese to complementary foods so children do not become bored with the taste.

If a child’s weight and height do not meet growth standards despite eating enough, she said, parents should take the child to a healthcare facility to check for possible health problems and growth disorders.