[Alternative nutrition of children. Its advantages and risks]

Food faddism is a growing scenery. Since children are also involved in these unusual food habits of their parents, the pediatrician is faced with new nutritional problems. The consequence may be failure to thrive in infancy and childhood noticed mainly in families with strictly vegetarian food habits. Moreover the pediatrician should know the possible sequelae of all the other forms of food faddism. Only a careful nutritional history paralleling the usual medical history may then uncover the origin of a chronic failure to thrive. First and foremost infants after weaning are at special risk in respect to protein, calcium and vitamin deficiencies.