Special Needs Nutrition

• Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Diet: A one page review on eating-related health issues. It encourages speaking with an RD about a gluten-free, casein-free diet and other nutrition-related concerns.

• Position Paper: Providing Nutrition Services for People with Developmental Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Pocket Guide to Children with Special Health Care and Nutritional Needs, Behavioral Health Nutrition DPG and Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group, 2012: This quick reference includes updated information for health care professionals who monitor the nutrition care of children with special health care needs, including Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other conditions. The pocket guide format is perfect for practitioners in a variety of practice settings. (#346012SET; $36.45 members, $43.20 nonmembers + S/H)

AbilityPath.org is a special needs community for parents and professionals.

• Finding Balance: Obesity and Children with Special Needs is a landmark report that focuses on how obesity affects children with special needs, and offers solutions for families, health professionals and caregivers. The report includes a parent toolkit that covers topics such as:

• Working towards a healthy weight
• Eating in restaurants
• Creating healthy food relationships
• Healthy snacking
• Introducing exercise

• Pacific West Maternal and Child Health Distance Learning Network
• Nutrition for Children with Special Health Care Needs is a six module web-based curriculum for RDs and other health care professionals. The modules include growth assessment, determining dietary needs, feeding skills, fluid and bowel problems, community services and developing a family plan.

• Each module is approved for 1 CEU from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The material is also available as a CD-ROM with resource notebook.
• Available at: http://depts.washington.edu/pwdlearn/web/

For more information, send an email to pwdlearn@u.washington.edu.

• The Special Olympics TRAIN (Testing Recreational Activities and Improving Nutrition) program assesses Special Olympics athletes' sports skills and provides them with nutrition information.

• The TRAIN@home nutrition guide includes why nutrition is important for athletes; tips on eating for exercise; sample menus for the night before, day of event and nonevent days; snacking and meal suggestions, eating on the go, and a food shopping list.

This website lists a variety of resources related to nutrition for special needs children, including:

• NUTRITION FOCUS for Children with Special Health Care Needs Newsletter, Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 6 issues per year. Back issues are also available. http://depts.washington.edu/cshcnnut/nutfocus.html

• Nutrition Interventions for Children with Special Health Care Needs, 3rd edition. 2010, Yang Y, Lucas B, Feucht S, editors: Designed by and for RDs and those who provide nutrition care for these children. It covers determination of nutritional status, including screening and assessments; problem-based nutrition interventions, such as for cystic fibrosis, metabolic disorders, and autism. An extensive appendix includes antropometric information and growth charts for various conditions. To download a PDF of the publication or request a free CD go to http://here.doh.wa.gov/materials/nutrition-interventions

• Disaster Preparedness Checklist: This 2 page checklist will help families prepare for emergencies for their children who have specialized nutrition needs including considerations for formula stores, formula preparation and/or administration without power and planning for those who care for each child (direct PDF download)