Sometime ago, I joined a group of other health personnels in offering healthcare services to parents and their Children With Special Needs (CWSN). The experience provoked an interest and thus the instinct to be more involved in a management of families with nutritional challenges related to the special needs child.
This is what my little search revealed about one group of CWSN (Cerebral Palsy)…
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an incurable, devastating condition that impairs speech, coordination, movement and healthy brain function. The neurological condition associated with cerebral palsy may result from birth injuries or abnormal fetal development.
What Cerebral Palsy is not!
It is not a disease.
It’s not communicable.
It’s not occasioned by people who hate you.
It’s not caused by witches, wizards, curses etc.
What it is, is purely a developmental defect that results from injuries encountered during pregnancy.
Cause
CP may result from medical mistakes that deprive a baby of oxygen. Some may include…
- Excessive use of vacuum extraction
- Failure to perform immediate C-section
- Unrecognized (or untreated) fetal distress
- Use of certain medications during delivery process
Symptoms
May include…
- Difficulty speaking
- Drooling
- Hearing and/or vision problems
- Seizures
- Writhing of the extremities
- Abnormal gait (such as keeping the knees touching while walking)
- Para- or quadriplegia
Management
Because CP is incurable, the condition demands lifelong management which include
- Medication for seizures and spasticity
- Physical therapy to improve condition and movement
- Speech therapy to combat difficulties with speaking
- Surgery
- Occupational therapy
- Nutrition therapy
Nutrition therapy
Proceeding to include nutrition therapy into the management of CWSN and in this case CP requires a thorough assessment of any former and present feeding challenges, with the necessary anthropometric assessments incorporated. The assessment gives an indication on how to proceed with any dietary modification from any nutritional diagnoses made.
Because CP affects speech, coordination and movement, it can be particularly challenging meeting the nutritional needs of the affected child if proper care is not ensured. Some children are able to signal hunger and satisfaction whereas others are unable to, for this reason, it’s important to know when to start and end feeding sessions. Feeding times could be very frustrating, demanding of attention and long periods may have to be expended in ensuring that the child consumes enough at a sitting.
Feeding tips…
Try a variety of foods. The child may refuse them at the first instance, but be relentless, try the same food repeatedly until the child develops the liking for it.
Time
Ensure constant and frequent feeding to make available nutrients and energy to influence developmental milestones.
- Feed on demand
- Feed frequently, allowing some 3-4 hours between meals if preferable. This may also depend on how well the child may have fed at the previous meals.
- Feed main meals and healthy home-made snacks.
Quality
- Feed nutrient and energy dense meals with home-made healthy snacks.
- Provide meals that are consistent in texture and mouthfeel that can easily be swallowed since the child may have difficulty chewing as well as swallowing in some instances.
- Feed semi-solid and/or liquid foods
- Choose a variety of healthy options from all the six food groups
Quantity
- Feed small frequent meals
- Feed gradually, ensuring all portions are finished or at least 80 percent is consumed.
The challenges present themselves at various stages of development, but with continuous practice and relentlessness, the child would have enough at each sitting, in effect improving health and general outcome of the child.
Be patient while at this with the child with these special needs…
PS: Please endeavor to see the appropriate professionals to assist you in the management of the child with special needs.
Disclaimer: The feeding tips provided are non-exhaustive and thus require in depth nutritional intervention from the appropriate nutrition expert. Find one from the link below.
Footnote
Find out more on CP from:
Yauniuck Yao Dogbe
I had my postgraduate certificate education in Dietitics from the Department of Dietetic and Human Nutrition of the School of Biomedical & Allied Health Science, University of Ghana. I have since been practicing as a Freelance Dietician. I’m presently the consulting Dietician with Newrest, CFAO, PPGL, Speed Medical Centre.
I enjoy theatre, music, reading, writing occasionally about random issues related to nutritional and mental health.
Follow blog at https://xiaodogbe.wordpress.com
