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“Children with special needs are vulnerable to all factors that place other children at nutritional risk, and to a myriad of additional biological, environmental, and psychosocial variables that may further jeopardize their nutritional status and pose barriers to their development.” The association believes that appropriate nutrition services are a crucial part of the support needed so that children with special needs achieve their potential.
Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition services for children with special health needs.
Who is at Risk?
Working with an interdisciplinary team, our dietitian will assist you with providing the best nutrition for children having a variety of conditions such as:
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Chronic diseases or syndromes -
Disorders of oral motor structure or development -
Growth disorders, failure to thrive, growth concerns -
Tube feedings and transition to or from oral feeding -
Food allergies -
Gastrointestinal disorders -
Sensory related feeding problems -
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Obesity
What Services Are Provided?
The Nutrition Therapy Department provides three key services:
- Initial Evaluation
- Follow-up Therapy
- Feeding Clinic
The dietitian also provides consultation to other Center programs such as SuitABILITY and the Sensory Based Feeding Program.
What Should You Expect?
Initial Evaluation
- Review of complete diet, medical and therapeutic history
- Detailed computer analysis of intake
- Estimates of nutrient needs specific to the child
- Utilization of diet modification or specialized nutrition therapies to assist in meeting needs
- Recommendations of achievable goals both the child and family can attain
- Collaboration with other therapies and medical specialists to ensure needs are met
- Assisting the family in creating an individualized nutrition plan, which ultimately foster positive health outcomes
Follow-up Therapy
- Through follow-up therapy, the dietitian recommends nutritional interventions that will benefit the child and promote adequate growth and development.
- Medical nutrition therapy follow-up appointments are offered as needed to assure proper intake and progress.
- One hour therapy appointments can take place every month, every other month, quarterly, biannually, or annually, depending on the child’s progress and development.
Nutrition evaluations and follow-up therapy are provided onsite, at home, and at other local therapy centers.
When needed, the dietitian refers children to other appropriate professionals, such as speech and language pathologists for feeding, gastroenterologists, allergists, endocrinologists, respiratory therapists, and social worker or parent liaisons for social and emotional support.
Feeding Clinic Information
Nutrition Therapy Success Stories
- Weaning a child off of a tube feeding and onto oral solid foods.
- Discontinuation or implementation of specialized formulas.
- Improvement in overall growth/health.
- Achievement of a more balanced diet.
- Fostering confidence in parent/caretaker’s ability to provide ongoing nutrition.
Excellence in Service Innovation Award
The Nutrition Therapy Department received the 2002 National Easter Seals “Excellence in Service Innovation” award and was recognized at the National Easter Seals Training Conference. The award recognizes Easter Seals organizations that have successfully implemented an innovative program that strategically leverages the strengths of their existing services.
Where Do You Start?
- Contact Mary Beth Scholtes at 630.261.6287
- If your child is enrolled in Early Intervention, contact your child’s coordinator
- You will need a prescription from you child's physician
- Contact your insurance company to ensure they cover a nutrition evaluation and therapy by a dietitian
Payment Options
Early Intervention, insurance (based on individual policies) and private pay are all accepted mean of payment for nutrition evaluations and follow-up visits.
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Cindy Baranoski, MS, RD, LDN
With more than ten years of clinical and outpatient experience, Cindy maintains registration with the Commission of Dietetic Registration, is credentialed with the State of Illinois Early Intervention system and is licensed in Illinois. Beyond obtaining a Master of Science degree in Nutrition, she is also credentialed in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management by the Commission on Dietetic Registration and a lecturer of nutrition at Benedictine University.
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