An Italian baby was recently hospitalised with a severe case of malnourishment with low levels of calcium, that led to a heart complication. Reports suggest that despite being 14- months-old, the baby weighed less than a three-month old. But it was only when doctors investigated further did they find that the baby was on a vegan diet and his parents never bothered to supply him with the supplements required. This case once again brought up the debate about vegan diets and how healthy it is to put a child on one.
Veganism, a diet devoid of any animal product, is a growing lifestyle in India. When a family turns vegan, by default, the child too is made to follow the same diet. While the baby in Italy had severe B12 deficiency, something that can even kill people, doctors and vegans from the city believe a baby can follow a vegan diet, provided all necessary precautions are taken.
“No animal product or animal-based product is supposed to be given to infants below one year as it can predispose them to allergies in future,” says Sha-rmila K., senior consultant paediatrician at Apollo Hospitals. “Since they lack proteins the most, parents need to be very careful and provide them supplements,” she adds.
Amala Akkineni, actress and animal welfare activist, who has been following a vegan diet for years now, says, “I chose to be vegan because it’s a diet that suits me best. I am extremely allergic to dairy,” she says, adding, “A vegan diet is devoid of B12 without which humans can die. So supplements are very important and I take them.”
Sejal Parikh, an IT professional and a mother of a three-and-a-half-year-old, says that she has never faced any problem. “Everyone in my family follows a strict vegan diet and so does my son. He has not tasted any animal or milk product and he is as healthy as any other child of his age,” says Sejal. “The moment something happens to a vegan baby, everyone talks about the diet. In the case of the Italian baby, it was clearly bad parenting,” she adds.
While a vegan diet might prove to be beneficial to adults, you might want to be a little flexible with children, says Dr T.P. Karthik, Head of the Department of Paediatrics, Yashoda Hospitals. “Babies require a lot of proteins as it helps the brain and the body develop. Babies below the age of one are advised to be put on a diet devoid of animal products, but for the growth of a child above one, animal products are recommended. That said, if someone still wants to put their child on a vegan diet, they can do so, but they should be a little flexible with the baby’s food,” explains Dr Karthik.
