Health Literacy Panel Tufts/Emerson Health Communication Program 20th Anniversary Celebration

September 20, 2014Amy Behrens

Sample AAP original message

Cereal goes on a spoon instead of in a bottle. + It doesn’t help infants sleep through the night.

+ Cereal shouldn’t be introduced before 4 months because of the potential to cause food allergies.

+ Sucking and swallowing actions are not fully coordinated in some babies so there’s a chance of pulmonary problems if the child inhales small amounts of rice cereal.

+ Babies know how much they need to drink based on volume, so upping the calories in the bottle can cause them to overfeed and become overweight.

+ Feeding with a spoon teaches infants to learn how to eat from a spoon, and allows the infant to rest in between and learn proper eating habits.