In the United States, pediatricians discuss the adoption of vegan diet for kids under 2 years old. The discussion takes place after the conviction of a mother who implemented a vegan diet in her son and caused the baby's death.
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Adherents of veganism do not consume any food of animal origin, nor do they use cosmetics, brands and other elements responsible for the exploitation of animals.
Vegan families with newborn children may wish to introduce vegan culture to their babies, however, care must be taken. This is because milk is one of the main sources of food for children under 2 years of age, and removing such nutrients without the help of a responsible professional can be fatal.
This is the case of Sheila O'Laeary, an American woman who introduced a vegan diet to her baby, with a fatal outcome. For this reason, pediatricians in the United States and Brazil are against the adoption of this lifestyle in early childhood.
Sheila O'Laeary was sentenced to life in prison for the death of her two-year-old son. At the time, the baby's mother, who adheres to the vegan diet, removed all ingredients of animal origin from her son's diet.
As a result, the baby died of severe malnutrition. The little one's diet, consisting of fruits, raw vegetables and breast milk, did not contain enough nutrients for the healthy development of the baby, and was considered strict by doctors.
Doctors from the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics and American pediatricians do not recommend the adoption of a vegan diet for children younger than 2 years. According to doctors, it is possible to restrict meat from infant diets, but other foods of animal origin, such as milk, should remain on the menu.
If parents wish to adopt veganism in their children, this attitude should be closely monitored by a Nutrition professional, who is mainly responsible for the mother-infant area.