Question
My 6-month-old baby has been crying every night recently and has lost his appetite. He sometimes only eats five times a day, with each feeding consisting of only 80 milliliters of milk, and he dislikes complementary foods. A check-up at 5 months showed deficiencies in calcium, iron, and zinc. How should I deal with this?
Answer
In addressing the issue of a 6-month-old baby’s night crying and loss of appetite, it is first important to determine if the baby has anorexia. Anorexia in infants can have many causes, with zinc deficiency being one of them. Zinc is essential for maintaining normal appetite, and a lack of zinc can lead to childhood anorexia. Additionally, deficiencies in calcium, iron, or B vitamins may also cause infant anorexia. It is advisable to take the child to the hospital for a comprehensive examination. For anorexia caused by physiological reasons, appropriate solutions should be provided. If it is determined that the child has a zinc or lead poisoning deficiency, treatment such as zinc supplementation or lead removal should be administered; for children with gastrointestinal dysrhythmia or abdominal pain, medications like metoclopramide can be used to treat dyspepsia, promote gastric emptying, and stimulate the child’s hunger. I hope these suggestions are helpful to you, and wish you good health! Please note that the above content has been formatted according to the requirements. If you need further assistance or have other questions, please let me know.