This article highlights the nutritional necessities of all adults, children, and youths with intellectual and developmental disabilities with special care needs. Ptomey & Wittenbrook (2015), center their discussion on patients with CYSHCN and IDD special care needs. The research aims at developing nutrition interventions suitable to these populations. The authors explain that these groups experience many health risk factors that necessitate nutritional interventions since they have no intellectual understanding of the impacts of nutrition. The research emphasizes that these groups are highly prevalent in comorbid conditions such as obesity and endocrine disorders and hence nutritional intervention is critical.
The authors then explain that individuals with these disabilities are likely to experience problems with oral healthcare, mealtime requirements (such as cutting food), dysphagia, enteral feedings, medication use, polypharmacy and food-drug interactions, which affect their overall wellness. Nutritional health risk factors affect their physical body and the composition of their body cells. They can be either obese or underweight if not observed. The research indicates that children are more like to be selective eaters and repertoires of food, while obesity is common in adults. Selective feeding in children reduces their immunity hence necessitating nutritional therapy. Obesity in adults may cause diabetes, hypertension and other heart-related diseases.
According to the authors, poor nutrition related to the long-term consumption of medications, limited access to healthcare support and lack of capacity to embrace consumption of healthy foods increase their health risk factors. Advocating for timely and balanced meals for these groups can help reduce the risk factors of prevalence to possible illnesses. The article also explains that public policies relating to taking care of CYSHCN and IDD in the past decades involved institutional-based and community programs support that has shifted to independent living today.
According to the article, health care providers have to observe protocols and standards during care delivery. They have to utilize the guides given on tools, developing screening and assessing the changes in improvement. The research further explains that healthcare providers are required to individualize the needs of patients and work with their families to achieve the best output. They are also required to use personal-centered language and collaborate with other professionals to ensure that they understand these populations and that the patients achieve the best.
Poor nutritional care among these groups results in poor motor skills development and slow recovery process, as described in the articles. The RDNs and NDTRs hence work together to educate the community and this population to help them understand the importance of nutrition. They also undertake professional training on how to help and work with IDD and CYSHCN populations. However, according to the research, the healthcare providers are still challenged by the internet since the public can easily access technology and health information since they must deliver accurate and credible information regarding this population that experiences rapid evolution. They are responsible for ensuring that they provide the best care and promote quality life among this population.
The authors conclude the argument with recommendations on the means that nutritionists should embrace in providing the best care for the groups discussed. With the numerous health risk factors involved in the patients’ lives, the article explains that RDNs and NDTRs should advocate for nutrition activities and reimbursement. They also have to provide timely and cost-effective nutrition, address individual needs, collaborate with other healthcare providers, support wellness programs and participate in medical nutrition research.
Reference
Ptomey, L. T., & Wittenbrook, W. (2015). Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics: Nutrition services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and special health care needs. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(4), 593-608.