PEDIATRIC NUTRITION ASSESSMENT - IDENTIFYING CHILDREN AT RISK

Nutrition services are important in the prevention of disabilities as well as in the treatment and/or habilitation of children with chronic illness. Level 1 nutrition care requires some basic knowledge of nutri tion to screen for nutritional risk factors, knowledge of and access t o referral systems for children identified to be at risk, and ability to use general nutrition education materials. Level 2 involves individ ualized nutrition assessment and intervention for problems such as ane mia, chronic constipation, low-or high-calorie diets, feeding problems , and growth monitoring. Level 3 nutrition services are for children w ith identified disabilities such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and met abolic disorders that require specific complex nutrition interventions . The five major components of assessment of nutritional status in chi ldren are: anthropometric, clinical, biochemical, dietary, and feeding skill development.