الفهرس 
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Abstract
Background: Nutrition is a significant factor in the growth, development
and overall functioning of a child. Nutrition education is a critical
component of most major health promotion and disease prevention
programs.
Aim: To evaluate the effect of nutritional counseling to the mothers of
infants aged from 6 months to 2 years focusing on proper weaning and
nutrition practice.
Method: A descriptive cross sectional study that included 107 mothers of
infants aged from 6 months to 2 years (57 males, 50 females; median age
was 10 months) who attended nutritional counseling classes focused on
proper weaning and nutrition practice. The counseling was done using a
written tool (mother card) and verbal counseling. Pre- and post- educational
questionnaires in Arabic language were filled by the mothers to assess the
improvement in their knowledge.
Results: A significant improvement of the maternal knowledge was noted
after medical counseling and during the follow up visits (5 days after).
Maternal knowledge about gaining information about their infants weaning
and nutrition increased from 16% to 77% (p = <0.00). Data revealed that
mothers respond better to information that focus on their specific areas of
concern about their infants’ nutrition.
Conclusion: Verbal counseling was effective in conveying brief concrete
information and the written tool (mother card) was effective in addressing
more complex information and helped the mothers to recall the information
delivered by verbal counseling.
Key words: nutrition – infants – weaning – counseling