In Italy this month, vegan parents lost custody of their baby after he almost died from malnutrition. According to The LocalinItaly, the 14-month old baby was taken to hospital in Milan by his grandparents, where doctors discovered he weighed only slightly more than a typical 3-month-old. Allegedly, the baby's parents had kept him on a vegan diet without dietary supplements. As a result, he was severely malnourished and suffering from dangerously low calcium levels. Worse, he had to undergo an emergency operation for a congenital heart condition that had been exacerbated by his vitamin deficiencies.
Veganism, like many things (speaking in full sentences, driving a car, having a martini at the end of a long day), is fine for (most) adults, but not necessarily for babies. In fact, veganism, which typically involves eliminating all animal products—including eggs, dairy, and meat—could be dangerous for humans in their earliest phase of life.
In recent months, there have been multiple international cases reported of babies suffering health problems related to vegan diets, collected here in this Washington Postarticle. The subject is tricky, because many vegan parents feel passionately about the dietary choice, and, understandably, want their children to abide by these rules as well. In 2007, many vegan parents got upset when a New York Timesop-ed titled “Death by Veganism” seemed to suggest it was not the healthiest option for kids.
“Holy guacamole — can we all just stop the madness when it comes to ill-informed journalists claiming that vegan diets harm/kill babies?!” responded dietician Anya Todd in a broadside in Your Daily Vegan.“Every year or so, an article enters the world with inflammatory headlines and content about how dangerous a vegan diet can be for infants and children.”
Attempting to inject nuance into this discussion (something rarely seen in vegan or parenting arguments), this article in the Spectator last year made the point that veganism doesn't hurt kids; neglectful parenting does. If parents are diligent about providing their kids with the necessary supplements, most can grow up perfectly healthy on an animal-free diet.
Pediatric dietician Helen Wilcock, a member of the British Dietetic Association, told the Guardian she tries to keep an open mind about vegan diets for young children. But, she stresses the importance of parents staying well-informed and ensuring their kids get the necessary nutrients. "Vegan children can be deficient in vitamin D, calcium, iron and possibly vitamin B12, so they need supplements," she said. Another difficulty is protein, since kids can't necessarily get the amino acids from beans that they would get from eating meat or fish.
In an advice column for Slate, Melinda Wenner Moyer writes, “Can kids be vegan and be healthy? Of course they can. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are undoubtedly good for growing bodies, and research even suggests an association between veganism and a reduced risk for cancer.”
However, Moyer also cautions that raising kids vegan requires extra work by parents and caregivers, who “have to ensure that their children are getting the calories and wide variety of nutrients they need — not a small feat when dealing with typically fussy, food-neophobic kids.” In other words, good luck.
It's obviously up to you to decide what you eat or don't eat, because you're an adult, and being an adult means you can nourish or destroy your body at will! But, if you're going to cut animal products out of your kid's diet—especially when they're under the age of five—make sure they are getting all the nutrients they need to grow up to be healthy and strong teens who will probably sneak a Big Mac the first chance they get.
Yum. Burgers.
