CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF EARLY VS. DELAYED INTRODUCTION OF COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING IN INFANTS.

Abstract

Background: Complementary feeding is an important step in an infant's nutrition. If you start feeding babies solid foods too early or too late, it can have an impact on their growth, development, or health complications. For an infant, solid foods can be introduced after 6 months, but starting them too early can increase their risk of infections. Micronutrient deficiencies can also occur when solid foods are introduced late. Therefore, finding the right time is essential to keep the infants healthy.

Objectives: To examine the impact of early (<6 months) versus late (>6 months) complementary feeding on growth, illness, and learning during the first two years of life."

Study Design: A cross-sectional study.

Place and duration of study: Department of Pediatric/Neonatology unit Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar from jan 2024 to jan 2025

Methods: This study included 100 infants aged 6–24 months from the outpatient pediatric clinics. The study participants were divided into two groups based on the timing of complementary oral feeding, group early (less than 6 months) and group delayed (more than 6 months). Growth, some illnesses (like respiratory and stomach infections), and some developmental milestones were taken into account.  For statistical analysis, SPSS 24.0 was used, t-test and chi-square were used for group comparison, and p-values less than 0.05 were considered significant The institution's review board granted ethical clearance. Results: 100 total mean age 12.4 months, SD 4.1 months 48 percent were given complimentary feeding before the age of 6 months and the rest, 52 percent, after the age of 6 months. Early-fed infants had higher diarrhea incidence (30% vs. 18%, p=0.04) and respiratory infections (25% vs. 16%, p=0.05). Mean weight-for-age z-scores showed no significant difference (−0.42 vs −0.40, p = 0.79). The early group achieved developmental milestones slightly sooner (p = 0.03). The early feeding practice, however, was linked to greater morbidity, while the delayed feeding practice resulted in fewer infections without significant growth compromise.

Conclusion: feeding early may elevate the risk of infections; however, it also enables children to attain certain developmental milestones earlier. In contrast, extending the duration of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a lower incidence of infections, but it did not adversely affect the child’s growth. This is why it is best to adhere to the WHO recommendations stating that complementary feeding should begin at six months of age. The importance of this guidance underscores the need to optimize outcomes, as the balance among nutritional requirements, infection risk, and developmental milestones lies predominantly with the caregivers.