A mother in Pennsylvania was charged with child endangerment after imposing her strict veganism diet on her 11-month-old son. The child became so malnourished, got delayed motor skills and developed severe rashes.
Elizabeth Hawk, 33, had been forcing her extreme diet on her family members. Her sister-in-law, Brandy Hawk, recounted how Elizabeth said that she was "going to live on water and sunlight," CBS Pittsburgh reported.
Elizabeth brushed off Brandy's concerns about the boy's severe rashes and seemingly delayed motor skills, blaming the former on allergies. Brandy, however, and Jerry Hawk, Elizabeth's estranged husband and the boy's father, decided to intervene and took the toddler to the local Child Youth services for a checkup.
According to doctors, the young boy was having developmental delays that prevented him from thriving. Physicians also said that not treating the child's rashes was "inhumane" and made him vulnerable to septic shock, which is a potentially deadly condition that occurs when a person's blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level post-infection, NHS Choices stated.
Doctors added that the boy's fruit-and-nut only diet pushed him to physical deterioration. Elizabeth and Jerry have two other children aside from the toddler.
The three kids are now in Jerry's custody. Brandy said that the boy is "doing great" and has "completely turned around."
Parents should know how to properly supplement a vegan diet to make it safe for growing children, According to the American Dietetic Association, veganism is alright for kids as long as it's done in a balanced way and with a full variety of essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, which can be found in animal products like milk and eggs.
Children up to 8 years old should have 1 ½ servings of food laden with protein every day, while older kids and adolescents need 2 ½ servings of protein, Kids Health noted. Eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, seafood and milk are good sources of protein.
The nutrient helps produce chemicals such as adrenaline and hemoglobin in the human body. It builds, sustains and repairs tissues. Protein also boosts muscle mass and strength, according to Authority Nutrition.
Helen Wilcock, a pediatric dietician and a member of the British Dietetic Association, said that the biggest issue about a vegan diet is it isn't known for giving energy, and people have to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables just to feel energized, The Guardian reported. Kids, however, don't eat a lot. To compensate for the missing energy, vegan parents can add oil to their children's food so they can have calories.
