CHILDHOOD

OBJECTIVES
At the end of the chapter, the students should be able to:
- Identifythe nutritional needs of a child; and
- Plan a one-week schedule of packed lunch and snacks for a
school-age child.

CHILDHOOD
- Is a period of life from 1 – 12 years of age.
PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN
The nutritional needs of the pre-school child differ from the those of
the adult:
1. There is a larger requirement for growth so there is a greater need
for proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
2. The pre-schoolers' activities are proportionally higher than those
of the adults so the pre-schoolers’ calorie allowances per unit
body weight must be increased.
3. The selection of foods requires some modifications especially for
young children.
4. Childhood presents a period of rapidly changing attitudes and
emotional development- a period when food habits can be most
favorably channeled.
FUNCTIONS OF DIET FOR A CHILD
1. Diet provides fuel for the child’s muscular activity.

2. It supplies the necessary chemical elements and compounds

that the child’s body requires for building materials and
repairing worn-out tissues.

3. Eating generally gives pleasure and satisfaction to the child.

 FOOD NEEDS OF PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN
- During the pre-school period (2-6 years), the physical growth of a child is
slow that a decrease in weight may even be observed while the overall
emotional, social, and intellectual development is fast.
- He/She continues to have a food preferences and prejudices which have a
great influence on his/her eating habits.
- His/Her desire for food erratic.
- As the Child further grows he/she becomes more independent and selective,
making him/her more vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies.
 NUTRIENT ALLOWANCES
Calories – The energy need of the pre-school child is determined by age,
activity, and basal metabolism. About 55% of total calorie needs go to
metabolic activities, 25% to physical activity, 12% to growth needs, and
8% to fecal loss. If the child’s diet lacks calories, the body will utilize the
proteins for energy resulting in Protein Calorie Malnutrition (PCN).
Protein – About 1.5 to 2 g/kg of body weight is required. The child’s
protein requirement relatively in higher in relation to body weight than that
of the adult.
Vitamins and Minerals – These are likewise essential for normal growth
and development.
Fluids – The total fluid requirement of a healthy child is 4 to 6 glasses,
one to one-and-half quarts or 1,000 to 1,500 mL.
Meal Planning for Pre-School Children (1-6
years old)
Good nutrition during the pre-school age is important to
his/her future. This is the time when the child needs adequate
food to grow and build his/her body, to exert/spend plenty of
energy for play, and to help him/her fight common infections.
Introducing the child early to good nutrition will help shape
his/her food habits in later years.
For pre-school children that are very active. They should eat:
-Mash yellow kamote or potatoes with mixed vegetable; roll in beaten egg
and fried
-Serve noodle soup with carrots and leafy greens
-Butter or margarine to make food tastier *fats help keep skin smooth and
help the body make use of vitamin A
-Coconut milk Whole milk
-fresh whole milk (1cup)
-powdered milk
-evaporated milk
*recommended milk is skim milk with butter oil added to restore the
normal fat content of whole milk. (Reconstituted milk is milk remade from
powdered whole milk to restore the original moisture content.)
Other kinds of Milk
Avoid using condensed milk. However, when there is no other available milk, a
mixture of 3tbsp of condensed milk to a cup of water may be given to children
over one year as long as they get enough of other foods.
• Lugaw (with powdered milk or evaporated milk, with raw egg)
• cook beans and legumes
• munggo (mashed)
• chopped meat or flaked fish
• green leafy vegetables and yellow vegetables (malunggay, kamote tops,kangkong,
pechay, carrot, squash)
• other vegetables (sitaw,abitsuelas, sigarilyas, and patani)
• citrus fruits (suha, dalanghita)
• fresh fruits
FEEDING PROBLEMS
1. The child eats too little
• Causes
- picky eater (likes few foods only)
- loss of appetite (too much parental urging)
- tired of the same foods
• Remedies
- - slowly add new foods and start the meal with foods he/she likes best
- - serve less than what he/she eats
- - prepare simple dishes
2. The child is eating too much
• Causes
- heredity
- temperament
- appetite
- "clean plate"
• Remedy
- refrain from serving sugar
- rich foods
3. The child is dawdling during mealtime
• Causes
- may be trying to gain attention
- may not be feeling well
- may be given too big portions
• Remedies
- regular check-up
-avoid fussing over the child
- let the child enjoy eating
4. The child is gagging when fed coarse foods.
• Cause
- lacks proper training in eating chopped foods
• Remedies
- self-feeding
- Well
- ventilated bright clean eating place
- colorful utensils
5. The child has aversion towards some foods.
• Remedies
- give fruits as substitutes of vegetables
- mix vegetables with familiar foods
- give milk through halo
- halo, leche flan, etc.
6. The child has allergies.
• Causes
- chemicals in the air
- food preservatives
- food coloring
• Remedies
- monitor nutrient intake
- make food substitutions
SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN
- The period between 7 and 12 years is characterized by a slow, steady
growth, increased body proportions, enhanced mental capabilities ,
and more mind and body coordination.
- Body reserves are being laid down in preparation for the increased
needs during the adolescent stage.
- Growth rates vary within this period. Girls usually correct the
discrepancies with boys, by the latter part of the pre-adolescent stage
when the 10-12 years-old reference girls weigh 3 kg more than the
boys of similar age. The gain in weight averages 1.8-3.1 kg annually.
 NUTRIENT ALLOWANCES
Calories – Allowances decline to about 80 to 90 kcal/kg for children
7 to 9 years old and 70 to 80 kcal/kg for children aged 10 to 12 years.
Protein – Approximately 37 g of protein is recommended daily for
children 7 to 9 years old and 43 to 48 g for children aged 10 to 12
years.
Vitamins and Minerals – As most girls start to menstruate at the age
of 11 or 12, iron allowances should consider the 1.4 mg/day of
menstrual loss.
Meal Planning for Children (7 to 9 years old)
Good nutrition helps children do better at home and in school.
Growing children need more body-building foods to grow fast and
strong. A good breakfast starts a good day. Hungry, weak children are
not alert and are less attentive in class.
1. Make green leafy and yellow vegetables and fruits. Stimulate
appetite with various forms, colors, sizes, and shapes of food
served.
2. Pack nutritious lunch.
3. Avoid serving too spicy and highly-seasoned foods.
4. Make snacks counts.
 Food Groups 7-9 years old 10-12 years old
Energy foods
Rice and other starchy foods 4 ¾ cups, cooked 5 1/3 cups (boys)
Root crops 1 small 5 cups (girls)
Sugar 5 level tsp 1 small
Fat 5 level tsp 5 level tsp
6 level tsp (boys)
5 level tsp (girls)

Body-building foods
Milk 2/3cup ½ cup
Fish/Meat/Poultry 1 serving 1 2/3 servings
Egg ½ piece ½ piece
Dried beans or nuts ¼ cup, cooked 1/3 cup, cooked

Regulating foods
Green leafy and yellow vegetables 1/3 cup, cooked ½ cup, cooked
Vitamin C-rich foods (papaya, 1 serving 1 serving
guava, atis, etc.)
Other fruits and vegetables ( banana, 1 serving fruit 1 serving fruit
okra, eggplant, langka) ½ cup vegetables ½ cup vegetables
 Food Groups Recommended Amounts
Rice and Rice and others 1-3 years 4-6 years 7-9 years 10-12 years
1 serving of rice or
alternatives alternatives = 1 cup rice,
cooked, 4 pcs pan de sal 2 – 3 ½ cups, 3-4 ½ cups, 4-5 cups, cooked 5 ½ - 6 cups,
( abt 17 g each), or 4 cooked cooked cooked
slices loaf bread (17 g
each), or 1 cup macaroni
or spaghetti, cooked or
1 pack instant noodles,
or 1 small size root crop,
180 g

Meat and Fish/Meat/Poultry/Dried 1 serving 1 ½ servings 21 ½ servings 2 servings

beans/Nuts
alternatives 1 serving of fish = 2 pcs(55-
60 g each), about 16 cm
long fish; 1 serving of
meat/poultry = 30 g lean
meat, cooked, or 1 ½ cups
cooked dried beans,
preferably taken at least 3
times a week

Egg ½ piece ½ piece ½ piece ½ piece

Whole milk 1 glass 1 glass 1 glass 1 glass

1 glass = 240 mL
 Food Groups Recommended Amounts
1-3 years 4-6 years 7-9 years 10-12 years
Vegetables Green, leafy, and ¼ cup, cooked 1/3 cup, cooked 1/3 cup, cooked 1/2 cup, cooked
yellow
Others 2 tbsp, cooked ¼ cup, cooked 1/2 cup, cooked 1/2 cup, cooked

Fruits Vitamin C-rich ½ medium sized ½ - 1 medium- 1 medium-sized or 1 medium-sized or

fruits or 1 slice of a big sized or 1 slice of a 1 slice of a big 1 slice of a big
fruit big fruit fruit fruit

Others ½ - 1 medium- ½ - 1 medium- 1 medium-sized or 1 medium-sized or

sized or 1 slice of a sized or 1 slice of a 1 slice of a big 1 slice of a big
big fruit big fruit fruit fruit

Fat and oils 6 teaspoons 6 teaspoons 6 teaspoons 6-8 teaspoons

Sugar 4 teaspoons 5 teaspoons 5 teaspoons 5-6 teaspoons

Water and 4-6 glasses 5-7 glasses 6-8 glasses 6-8 glasses
Beverages
 Suggested Nutritious Lunches
MONDAY - Rice
- Fried Longganisa - Fruit in season
- Salted Egg and tomato THURSDAY
- Rice - Tuna Sandwich
TUESDAY - Apple
- Fish/Meat omelet - Pineapple Juice
- Sautéed Baguio Beans FRIDAY
- Rice - Rellenong talong
- Banana - Rice
WEDNESDAY - Fruit in season
- Pork Adobo
- Kamote tops salad
 FEEDING THE SCHOOL CHILD
1. Psychological Factors
a. More confident; expresses own food choices
b. Strong urge to eat what his/her friends eat
2. School Environment
Goals of school feeding programs in the Philippines:
a. Improve the nutrition of school children by providing them with wholesome food at the
lowest reasonable cost.
b. Aid in strengthening the nutrition and health education program of the public schools
c. Foster proper eating habits
3. Food Preferences
a. Eats a wider variety of foods and has more food likes and dislikes
b. Wants simple and plain dishes
c. Eats what most adults eat
d. Develop fondness for food products seen in TV commercials and
appetite for the favorite food of his/her celebrity.
FEEDING PROBLEMS
1. The child receives inadequate meals.
Causes:
- Nothing to eat
- Late Bed riser
- Arrival of school bus
- Fear of being late for school
- Rush in preparing oneself for school
A good breakfast should consist of the following:
- Vitamin C-rich fruits like papaya
- Cereals like oatmeal of fried rice or pan de sal
- Protein- rich foods like egg, tuyo, cheese, or milk
Lunch is also a dietary problem because so many children eat their lunch in school or fast-
food joints.
2. The Child has poor appetite.
Causes:
- Demanding school work
- Tiring extracellular activities
- New outdoor experiences
- Confections and soft drinks in school
3. The child has sweet tooth.
Causes:
- Hungry growing bodies recognize the need for extra calories.
- Parents give sweets as rewards or pasalubong to kids.
 WEIGHT AND HEIGHT STANDARDS FOR FILIPINO BOYS AND
GIRLS

During the early years, a steady rare of growth is normally

maintained. At about 10 to 12 years of age, the pre-adolescent
growth spurt begins.