The Catholic Church, bearing this in mind, took care even from the beginning to bring the little ones to Christ through Eucharistic Communion, which was administered even to nursing infants. This, as was prescribed in almost all ancient Ritual books, was done at Baptism until the thirteenth century, and this custom prevailed in some places even later. It is still found in the Greek and Oriental Churches. But to remove the danger that infants might eject the Consecrated Host, the custom obtained from the beginning of administering the Eucharist to them under the species of wine only.
Infants, however, not only at the time of Baptism, but also frequently thereafter were admitted to the sacred repast. In some churches it was the custom to give the Eucharist to the children immediately after the clergy; in others, the small fragments which remained after the Communion of the adults were given to the children.
Interesting; thank-you. The part about giving the infants only the consecrated wine lest they spit up the Host is fascinating. As you know, we receive the Eucharist under both species, using leavened bread and from a golden spoon. The consecrated bread, having been in the wine in the chalice, is so soft that even a small infant can handle it. As a matter of curiosity, when did the Latin Church begin using unleavened bread in the Eucharist? I can see what the Pope was talking about with an unleavened Host.