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 William J. Klish, M.D., is Professor of Pediatrics, Head of Pediatric
Gastroenterology at Baylor College of Medicine and Chief of the Nutrition
and Gastroenterology Department at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.
Dr. Klish has served as chair of the Committee on Nutrition of the American
Academy of Pediatrics.
Q: I'm nervous about giving my one-year-old ground beef because of the Mad Cow scare. What are the risks here in the United States?
A: With all the news about animal diseases in Europe, I can see why mothers in the United States are becoming nervous about what they feed their children. The human form of mad cow, called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, can develop from eating foods derived from infected cattle. To date, there've been no reported cases of this very rare brain disease in the United States. And children aren't at any increased risk for this disease. Therefore, mothers in the U.S. should feel comfortable about feeding their children meat.
I consider red meat, such as hamburger, an excellent food for children. Not only is it a rich source of protein, but it contains significant amounts of iron in an organic form, making it very easy for the body to absorb. Iron is the nutrient that small children are most likely to be deficient in.
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