Todays final edition on special needs diets is focused on cerebral palsy. Children with cerebral palsy may have a harder time getting sufficient nutrients due to the physical difficulties of chewing and swallowing.
Ensuring a proper diet is extremely important. First, we will cover brain physiology and the most common physical symptoms associated with cerebral palsy. Food choices can help or worsen some physical symptoms and knowing which ones should be a steady part of the diet and which ones to avoid can have a tremendous impact.
Cerebral palsy refers to several neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and affect muscle coordination and movement.
According to Harvard Medical School, it is caused by brain abnormalities that disrupt the ability to control movement and posture. Cerebral palsy manifests as brain lesions that occur before the age of 3.
These brain lesions are a result of damage before, during or after birth and the symptoms can range from mild, where no special assistance is required, to severe and requiring lifelong care. It is the leading cause of childhood disability that affects bodily function and development.
Specific brain lesions may affect the ability to move the face, mouth and head, creating difficulties with chewing and eating. Because chewing can be affected, the main goal in a diet is to provide high quality foods that are easy to eat or drink.
Proper nourishment is the main concern for children with cerebral palsy. According to the MyChild organization, up to 35 percent of children with cerebral palsy are malnourished. This slow down growth and make gaining weight difficult.
Healthy, high calorie foods are especially important since it can be difficult for many children to physically eat enough to meet their nutrition requirements. Constipation and acid reflux are the most common physical symptoms. This is due to poor muscle tone that affects the ability to push stool through the colon and of the lower esophageal sphincter, which causes the stomachs contents to wash back up into the esophagus causing acid reflux.
Make every bite count. Limit processed foods with low nutritional value as much as possible and focus on calorie dense, nutritious foods and high quality fats.
Consider adding calorie rich smoothies to the daily diet containing high calorie fruits (bananas, dates, mangos, avocados) and green leafy vegetables along with powdered greens for extra vitamins.
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Foods for children with cerebral palsy
