Too Young for Ham?

Updated on May 21, 2010
S.R. asks from Urbandale, IA
9 answers

My son is 9.5 months old and last night we had ham steak so we fed Noah some. He LOVED it. However, bedtime was the worst in a long time. He slept for about an hour and then screamed for 2; could it have been the ham? Maybe too much for the little guy to digest? He has 8 teeth already so he can bite anything and they were small pieces.

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A.P.

answers from Denver on

Both my kids loved ham at any age, I would think it was a coincidence so as long as diapers are normal and not throw up I would try again.

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L.C.

answers from Denver on

Ham steak as in the packaged large slices? Be careful with all cured products and look for "nitrite/nitrate" free. It be the prevervatives that created a reaction.

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T.G.

answers from St. Louis on

Could be. Wait until he has no more symptoms and try the ham again. If it happens again chances are he is not ready for ham.

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A.M.

answers from Detroit on

It could have been the ham, which is why it is important to only present one new food at a time. I would not try it again until he is older and then watch carefully; meat is harder to digest. Also mention this to your pediatrician

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L.F.

answers from Atlanta on

The only thing I would worry about would be the salt content in ham. Need to make sure he gets plenty of fluids to flush it through.

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J.G.

answers from Cleveland on

It's hard to tell - my kids are having a lot of issues with their allergies right now. Your best bet is to wait a few weeks and try the ham again. If he has the same reaction wait a while before you give it to him. My once son had issues with peaches when he was young... he broke out in a rash 3 times when I give him baby food peaches, but he is now almost 5 & loves peaches - fresh or canned & has no issues with them at all.

Food and tummy issues are always a guessing game... but always leave about 3-5 days between introducing new items to the diet. That way you can watch for reactions.

Good luck & I hope he feels better today!!

L.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

I would think that just like any other food for infants, their bodies need a little adjusting. Maybe the flavors were too rich? Did you cook the ham in spices the child hasn't had before? It could have just been a little indigestion, since his little body isnt used to procesing that type of food yet...
By all means, try the ham again, with little to no spices on it, and see what the outcome is. You can also try putting it into a chopper, and dicing the meat... similiar to an aging adult, infants sometimes have swallowing difficulties and need a little extra help by "crushing" the meat so the tummy has a little less work to do. Good luck, and don't be scared to try new things... it is the best way to learn!

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D.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

Probably not, but you never know. It could have been that it was harder for his stomach to digest large chunks such as a steak vs. shaven ham like you get at the deli.

The best advice our pediatrician gave us when our son had an allergic reaction at 7 months (the first time we gave him eggs) was to try the food again. In our case, the reaction happened, we treated with Benadryl per the pediatrician, and tried it again a week later - no reaction. He probably had a coincidental virus that caused the reaction.

I'd not hesitate to call the pediatrician to see what their thoughts are and what they recommend.

Good luck!

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J.P.

answers from Denver on

Ham often has nitrates or nitrates in them....they are a preservative that, frankly, isn't good for anyone. A young baby could very well have a reaction to the chemicals and they could cause a tummy ache. I would just make sure you give him "real" food, not processed food. You can get ham without the nitrates.
J.

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