Q: My son is 8 months old. I am giving banana regularly in the evening at 6.30 p.m. But my father in law says bananas are bad for infants health and due to it they develop cold and cough. He forces me not to give banana to the child. I want to know the good and bad points of banana feed to an 8 month old child.

A:There is no harm in giving banana to your baby. It cannot cause cold or cough to your baby but any semi-solid food may be difficult for him in case the baby already has cold and congestion.
Rather, banana is one of the first few foods introduced to the baby after mothers milk. Fruits add to variety and taste. They can be given after mashing either alone or with cereals. Fruits like banana, mango, papaya, pear, plum and peaches are good sources of vitamin A and citrus fruits like oranges provide vitamin C besides minerals. Start with 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls and gradually increase the amount of food. Over 3 to 4 weeks increase to 50 to 60 g or half a cup (or one banana).