The prevalence of children with complex neuro-disability has increased due to advances in the medical management of preterm infants and improved care for children with severe neurological impairment . Neuro-disability covers a wide range of clinical conditions, including acquired brain injury, epilepsy and learning disability. Neuro-disabilities present a significant disease burden for the child and family, with the focus for families to promote the best possible participation in life for all affected.Children with neuro-disabilities can be significantly disadvantaged in their ability to nourish themselves due to poor hand to mouth motor coordination, along with disordered swallowing, resulting in aspiration of food in the lungs. The length of feeding time may be considerably increased and instead of mealtimes being an enjoyable experience, they are distressing for both child and carer. These impairments in feeding eventually lead to undernutrition and invariably children require a feeding tube to ensure nutritional requirements are met. Although tube feeding improves overall nutritional status, it has also been associated with an excess deposition of body fat compared with typically developing children. Children with neuro-disability are at risk of becoming overweight because of their low activity and psychosocial constraints. Additionally, children with a neuro-disability tend to grow slowly for non-nutritional reasons and have altered body composition due to underdeveloped skeletal muscle. Children are more likely to be overweight and tend to have low lean muscle mass - therefore a low BMI in this group does not necessarily imply low fat stores. Efforts are needed to protect severely disabled children from overfeeding and to help families of children with neuro-disabilities to manage their child’s weight.Children with neuro-disabilities who are fed to 80% of their estimated average energy requirements have reported a positive energy balance resulting in high body fat mass. Of note, any attempt to dilute the existing proprietary feeds to reduce the calorie intake to a level commensurate with the energy expenditure of a child with a disability is likely to have an adverse impact on micronutrient and protein intake.The clinical nutrition industry has responded to this need and developed commercially available enteral formulas that are low in energy but nutritionally adequate for protein and micronutrients, essential for developing children who are reliant on enteral formula to supply a major proportion of their intake [8]. Additionally, feed tolerance is generally worse in children with neuro-disabilities, associated with comorbidities including epilepsy, posture and tone disorders, and medications used for the treatment of these conditions can further exacerbate gastrointestinal function. Common feed related symptoms associated with neuro-disabilities include vomiting, retching, pain associated with feeding - feedinduced dystonia, constipation, and gastrointestinal dysmotility.The aim of this national multicentre retrospective study was to monitor the effectiveness of a low energy hydrolysed enteral formula on weight management, feed tolerance and health economics in children with a neuro-disability.

Differentiating milk allergy (IgE and non-IgE from lactose intolerance: understanding the underlying mechanisms and presentations.

The aim of the symposium was to share learnings from the recently established European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Task Force on special products for cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), with the intention of providing an overview on controversies regarding extensively hydrolysed formulas (eHFs), their utility, and the validity of the definition ‘special products ...

To determine whether an extensively hydrolyzed formula (EHF) supplemented with two human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) was tolerated by infants with cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). Methods: A whey-based EHF (Test formula) containing 2′fucosyl-lactose (2′FL) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) was assessed for clinical hypoallergenicity and safety. The Control formula was...

Recently, as reported by dietetic departments in the United Kingdom, we have seen an increase in Homemade Blended Diets (HBD) being given to children requiring tube feeding. HBD practice may increase the risk of tube occlusion and nutritional inadequacies. In 2015 the British Dietetic Association (BDA) developed their first ‘Practice toolkit liquidised food via gastrostomy tube’, whic...

In this brochure, we have collected some of the new and relevant references highlighting the importance of improving the nutritional status among patients, or geriatric individuals, with or at risk of disease-related malnutrition. This brochure includes guidelines for protein and energy requirements, as well as study summaries on the importance of protein quality to regain and build muscle mass. In particular, studies on leucine are included, since this is the most potent amino acid to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Leucine has been proposed to have a beneficial effect on muscle mass, muscle strength and physical function.

Mobility impairment is characterized by loss of muscle mass, bone mass and function, and may be caused by age-related diseases (e.g. sarcopenia or frailty), acute accidental events (e.g. falls and fractures) and mobility-induced chronic diseases (e.g. osteoarthritis). Nutritional management of malnutrition and mobility impairment typically focus on dietary guidance and may include treatment with oral nutritional supplements (ONS) to provide a high calorie and protein-rich diet of good protein quality.  This study summary gives an overview of some key clinical studies on the composition of oral nutrition supplement for the nutritional management of malnutrition and impaired mobility.

This webinar dives into the emerging trend of blended diets for enteral feeding. There is some evidence to suggest that blended diets, used solely or in combination with commercially available enteral feeds, can have a number of benefits for children such as a reduction in GI symptoms or improved overall physical and developmental health.