Can I give my 9 month old fish sticks? Is it healthy enough and is it safe at this age?

Answer 1

I believe you are not suppose to give your child any type of seafood products until they are a year old . I would check with your pediatrician .

Answer 2

If they are properly cooked, probably, as long as the child has teeth (and a nine-month old should be able to take bites). Some people think that you shouldn't give fish to infants because of problems with mercury and other toxins, but it is unlikely that the traces found on them would not be found in other animal-protein sources (chicken, for instance, is routinely fed fish-meal..so if there is mercury in fish, it will be in the chicken, too).

If the child can handle other finger foods, and is chewing, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Otherwise, either hold off, or mash them up first.

Answer 3

I perosnnally would hold off of fish sticks untill around 11month or older. You could always try it though, just watch them liek a hawk, depending on if they have teeth they may have no problem eating it, and their system may be able to process it well enough. It is all on the baby. I would wait, but you can try it if you want. I fed my little one jar food at 4 months... people said i should wait untill she was 6 months, but just try a little, and see, watch for allergic reactions for the 48 hours after...

Answer 4

I have fed my 8 month old fish I have cooked, but not fish sticks. They are so full of preservatives and the batter on the outside isn't exactly on the top of the nutrition ladder! I don't see why it would be bad to have the baby try it though. I wouldn't make it a meal though.

Answer 5

Fish is a fairly common allergen, so you should introduce it slowly and only after your baby's first birthday, when his immune and digestive systems are more fully developed. If your family has a history of allergies -- hay fever, asthma, or food allergies, for example -- the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recommends holding off on introducing fish until at least age 3. Signs of a food allergy include swelling of the tongue, lips, and face; a skin rash; wheezing; abdominal cramping; vomiting; or diarrhea. If your baby develops any of these symptoms after eating fish or any other food, call his doctor as soon as possible.
That said, before you swear off fish, keep in mind that only 4 to 6 percent of infants and young children develop a food allergy. And if you lived in Asia or a Scandinavian country, where fish is a dietary mainstay, your baby would probably sample a variety of fish even before eating meat or chicken. But in the United States, it's customary to introduce fish and shellfish after a baby has accepted both pureed fruits and vegetables and strained meats and poultry. If you have no family history of fish allergies and want to try giving fish to your baby before 12 months, wait until he's able to chew other finger foods and make sure the fish is properly de-boned and finely minced or pureed.

One important caveat: Certain fish contain high levels of methyl mercury, a metal believed to be harmful in high doses to a child's developing brain and nervous system. That's why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you avoid feeding your child large predatory fish -- including shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish -- which contain the highest levels of mercury.

You should also limit your child's intake of tuna. Some states provide specific tuna guidelines for children. The Washington State Department of Health offers these recommendations: No more than 1 ounce of tuna per week for kids weighing 20 pounds, and no more than 3 ounces (half a can of tuna) for kids weighing about 60 pounds. You'll have to estimate the appropriate serving if your child's weight falls between 20 and 60 pounds. The Rhode Island Department of Health recommends buying "light" tuna instead of "white" tuna, because it's thought to contain less mercury. Visit the FDA's Web site for specific recommendations on fish consumption and for the mercury content in a variety of fish.

Finally, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that children shouldn't eat raw or undercooked fish, including dishes like ceviche (which is prepared by soaking the seafood in an acidic citrus marinade to "cold cook" it). Raw or partly cooked fish can contain bacteria and viruses that can be tolerated by healthy adults but make young children seriously ill.

Tip:

When cooking fish, keep it moist. Overcooked and dry fish can be flaky, and little pieces can get caught in your child's throat, causing gagging and choking. Your baby may be more likely to eat fish if it's been mixed with his favorite vegetable.

Because commercially frozen fish sticks are usually made with pollock or other whitefish that tend to be low in mercury, they may be a good way to introduce your baby to the flavor and texture of fish.

Answer 6

I think you're supposed to hold off on seafood, but if yo read the ingredients on the box, and there are ingredients you don't know or can't pronounce, I wouldn't be feeding it to my baby (at least not on a regular basis)

Answer 7

the first thing i think of is mercury... fish has mercury in it... that is one of the thoughts of where autism comes from... and since i work with children with autism i do not feed my child anything with fish in it.... check to see what kind of fish is in the fish sticks... and research online the amount of mercury that fish has.... it sounds weird... but talk to ur dr....

Answer 8

i used to give my son table food all the time, he ate what i ate. the only thing was that i ate pretty healthy like chicken breasts and vegetables. so if your baby can chew, i see no problem giving it to baby. the only problem is that this is not healthy. its got all kinds of preservatives and bread crums and other junk.

Answer 9

no it's not good fish will be like giving your baby seafood and they are to young for that.

Answer 10

I don't think its good. Most doctors suggest no seafood that young.