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Nutrition & Cerebral Palsy

It is difficult to overstate the relationship between a good diet and good health. Fast food and a love affair with sugar-laden beverages and candy have led to an epidemic of obesity in the United States. The importance of healthy eating is even more significant for certain diseases and disorders. And that is certainly the case with cerebral palsy (CP). It is estimated that 35 percent of children with CP are malnourished, according to 4MyChild, an organization dedicated to children with special needs.

  1. Motor Control Problems

    • Cerebral palsy, a group of brain disorders that are characterized by problems with motor control, makes it difficult for patients of any age to eat properly. They may become frustrated at their inability to hold eating utensils and maneuver their food from plate to mouth. CP patients also may find it difficult to coordinate the muscles involved in chewing and swallowing food. Left to their own devices, some simply balk at eating because the entire process is more daunting than they can handle.

    Prenatal Nutrition

    • Expectant mothers must be mindful of the importance of healthy eating. The Cerebral Palsy Source website warns that CP "may be linked to malnutrition during prenatal or neonatal care." Statistics show that babies born prematurely or with low birth weights are at greater risk of developing CP. Pregnant women can give their unborn children the best chance at a problem-free life by eating well and avoiding alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs.

    Caregivers

    • People charged with the responsibility of caring for a person with CP must make good nutrition one of their top priorities. In addition to planning and serving nutritious, well-rounded meals, caregivers must ensure that the foods are in a form that can be eaten readily by the patient. For those patients who are having serious problems with chewing and swallowing, this may necessitate the preparation of liquid meals and supplementation with nutritional formulas. Feeding a child or adult with CP is a time-consuming and frustrating process, but caregivers must ensure that the job is done and done well.

    Dangers of Malnutrition

    • Malnutrition is a very real danger for CP patients and occurs with far greater frequency than one would imagine, as the estimate from 4MyChild will attest. It occurs when the body is not supplied with all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that it needs to function properly. The Cerebral Palsy Source website warns that malnutrition, if allowed to go untreated, eventually can lead to death.

    Get Professional Advice

    • The Origins of Cerebral Palsy website urges parents and caregivers to seek professional counsel on how best to feed children and adults with CP. A physiotherapist can suggest the best way to position the patient for eating, while a dietitian can suggest a meal plan that is healthy and compatible with the patient's limitations. Speech and language therapists may be able to assist with the challenges of chewing and swallowing, and an occupational therapist "can advise appropriate feeding equipment and seating."

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