Nutrition/Feeding Clinic at Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley –The Comprehensive Approach

By – Cindy Baranoski, MS, RDN, LDN and Laura Van Zandt OTR/L

-Updated February 2023-

In January 2019, a groundbreaking article was published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition describing children challenged with feeding problems and their care. Pediatric Feeding Disorders (PFD) is the term the expert team of authors define as “impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate, and is associated with medical, nutrition, feeding skill, and/or psycho-social dysfunction.” It establishes the basis for creating and implementing a medical diagnosis code that would support children identified as having problems in any of these four areas, which are impaired by or impairing a child’s ability to eat a diet that is expected for age.

It concludes with the primary need for children to be identified early and receive interdisciplinary evaluations and interventions instead of seeing one practitioner alone to try and help all areas. Interdisciplinary thinking, evaluations, and treatment have been the core practice of Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley’s Feeding Clinic for the past 21 years, since its inception in 2000.

What Brings You Here

From the moment we are born, feeding and eating is something that is supposed to come naturally to everyone. When a baby is born, we feel an overwhelming sense of love and a strong desire to watch over, protect, and nourish to grow. When it’s time for feeding, our bodies are already preparing the necessary tools to breakdown and process what is provided. Feeding involves more than just our mouths. At play are the sights (color, shape, size), feelings (warm, hot, cold, crunchy, chewy, soft, sticky), smells (sweet, stinky), sounds (loud, quiet), and most significantly, the way our body works. From how our muscles work together to align our trunk in sitting, allowing our arms to reach, grasp, and explore, to coordination of suck, swallow, and breathe, and manipulating the food in our mouths, everything sets the foundation for a good relationship with mealtimes and foods. Our past and current experiences all shape our belief around feeding and nutrition. Your body must work all together to receive and process nourishment.

For some children, however, this process isn’t easy and doesn’t always come naturally. Many children struggle to coordinate their bodies to eat or drink and have GI systems that do not process foods well, leading to constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and gastroesophageal reflux, which then leads to poor growth, frustrations, fear, and worry. For children with respiratory conditions, poor coordination of breathing, overall weakness, eating a meal like other children their age is nearly impossible. Yet, they still need what other children need – nourishment, socialization, variety, scheduled mealtimes, and interaction with foods. For children, who may be fed through a tube, eating may not be the primary mode of nourishment, but all the other factors promote development, health, and good growth.

As a parent, there is nothing more important than watching your child grow and thrive, and nothing is more heart-wrenching than watching them struggle. When a child does not eat, parents feel blame and guilt. We ask ourselves why? Did I do this? What could I have done differently? We try a host of different strategies. We Google and seek advice from family, friends, and medical providers. We fall back to what we know, which may or may not work.

Who We Are

Our Feeding Clinic at Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley consists of a team of individuals who have a passion for helping kids with feeding, mealtimes, tolerance, health, and growth. Our team assesses the many different reasons why a child might be struggling. We are not just looking at their ‘behavior’ but dig deeper and aim to understand the core source of the behavior and what it is communicating. Eating is so much more than bringing food to the mouth, chewing, and swallowing.

Our Clinic consists of a registered dietitian nutritionist, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, and a social worker. The team has over 230+ years of combined expertise and has gone on for extensive training in many areas, such as NeuroDevelopmental Therapy (NDT), Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach, DIR/Floortime, Respiratory and Rib Cage Development, Homeopathy, and Chinese medicine.

As a team, we review your child’s birth and developmental history before the appointment, with a thorough analysis of the diet record you submit. We ask you to let us know your evaluation expectations when filling out the paperwork, both online and written forms. Our goal is to meet these expectations. During the actual meeting we are looking and listening for red flags that clue us into issues driving the challenges your child is having. A list of possible reasons why your child might be seen by our feeding clinic is found in Table 1.

Table 1

What Happens, What We Do, and What’s Next

At Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, we are able to evaluate a child at our Villa Park center or through tele-therapy. Keeping our clients, their families, and our staff safe is a number one priority while continuing to be one of the most impactful Feeding Clinics around. Our clinic has been providing virtual evaluations since April 2020, and our use of HIPPA compliant Microsoft Teams platform has allowed everyone to participate fully. When your child is referred for an evaluation by the team, our Clinical Admissions Coordinator will guide you through our secure system of the intake process. We have revamped the process to make it easier for you and provide written suggestions to help you prepare for the evaluation day. If you are receiving a virtual consultation, we offer tips on setting up your space to allow a more successful evaluation of your child with the least amount of stress for you.

During the interdisciplinary evaluation, the full team meets with your family. Engaging with and helping your child feel comfortable, the speech and language pathologist and occupational therapist will give suggestions while listening and performing their physical assessment. We have worked hard to create a safe, calm, effortless process to continue to successfully support our Feeding Clinic evaluations, which continue to be very much in demand. Parent’s positive comments and impactful outcomes of our evaluations speak for themselves.

Medical & Nutrition

First the team reviews and establishes your child’s medical health and overall nutrition status. Many medical complications from birth can impact a child. Undiagnosed medical and gastrointestinal (GI) problems often come to light in the clinic.

Think of your child’s health as the foundation of your house. If your foundation is weak, then the floors above it will compensate for weakness. If your child struggles from constipation, diarrhea, dysmotility, gagging, GE reflux, they are most likely subconsciously learning to connect food and drink to feeling poorly. Additionally, understanding your child’s nutrition helps the team understand what might be contributing to what is not medical, allowing the team to make appropriate recommendations to ensure optimal growth and health. Analysis of current nutrition includes what is expected for your child, balance, the timing of meals/snacks, calories, protein, fluid, hydration, vitamins/minerals, route of nutrition, and growth. Understanding both medical health and nutrition status allows for changes from the foundation first and foremost.

Speech and Language Pathology & Occupational Therapy

Observing how your child interacts and engages during the evaluation can help the speech and language pathologist and occupational therapist before they move on to assess the physical portion of eating and drinking. No matter where your child is in their journey with food and feeding, our goal is to have a positive relationship during the process. While observing your child, both therapists also look at their underlying motor skills and evaluate if any postural supports might be beneficial. Mary Massery, a well-known physical therapist, has said “breathing always wins”, and she is not wrong. Breathing dominates. Where your body is in space and stability is its second priority. Swallowing and feeding behavior must continually adapt to changing respiratory and postural systems.

The speech and language pathologist works to get a better sense of your child’s oral motor skills while the occupational therapist observes potential underlying sensory processing difficulties and relationship issues with food. Anxiety around meals and feeding can increase adrenaline which suppresses our desire to eat. Assisting with overall regulation is essential for comfort at mealtimes.

Family Support

The emotion with feeding and nutrition difficulties can be overwhelming for both the parents and child. Often, a child’s survival from birth and medical health is the primary focus, as it should be. When a child becomes more stable, a parent can start to see beyond the medical fears and begin to focus on other things such as the experience of feeding. With this new focus, the emotions, fear, concerns, and hope are still there. Whether your child is struggling to be an oral eater or being fed by tube, the emotions can be immobilizing. Our social worker is a vital team member in our clinic, helping every parent know they are not alone. She provides support, empathy, and connections to any number of resources.

Wrapping Up

By the end of the evaluation, the team confers together, with immediate and long-term recommendations being made. Often, these recommendations focus on gut health, breathing, positioning, or establishing improved nutrition, before working on some of the more therapeutic needs such as oral motor skills or sensory processing/relationship interactions. Sometimes recommendations are made to work on several key things simultaneously to help your child be more clinically stable, or a single recommendation that may be central to all other concerns identified. Returning to our 90-minute clinic for a follow-up visit may be one of the recommendations made.

Final Thoughts

Wherever you are at in your child’s journey, there are many aspects to feeding disorders in the pediatric population. Therefore, identifying and addressing all of them is a priority that should not be overlooked. Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley’s Feeding Clinic has been and continues to view your child and his care from this interdisciplinary “Pediatric Feeding Disorders” approach, involving a skilled and expert team of professionals. Nutrition issues is an area that brings an enormous amount of stress and anxiety to a child and his caregivers. Our team is uniquely qualified and experienced to assist children at all levels of feeding, instilling hope and helping them be their very best.

Every child is unique, and each intervention is tailored to fit your child and family. While you research options you have, consider the following –

• Aim to help your child feel their best. They need to feel well – this is key for success in any area.
• Assess their positioning with mealtimes and feeding to be sure they are fully supported. Positioning is key. Seated on a firm surface with feet flat on the floor or chair rail, with head and shoulders aligned over hips, equal weight bearing, is the most optimal positioning. Allow her arms to rest on her tray or table with shoulders down.
• Ensure a regular schedule. Regardless of if your child is orally fed or through a tube, a mealtime plan is essential, and helps your child learn hunger and fullness, allows their bodies to sustain through the day, can improve their overall tolerance, and should have a positive beginning and end.
• Patience – feeding therapy is a journey with bumps and curves along the road. Share your compassion and empathy. Learning to eat and mealtimes, after a rough beginning, might involve reshaping many memories. You might have to start over to build trust. Remember even the tortoise finished the race with the hare.
• Expose, expose, expose and don’t limit opportunities for exposure. Have fun and play with food. Model appropriate food reactions – don’t “yuck someone else’s yum.” Continue to find ways to present food to your child even if he is not ready to taste them. You can read books together about food, visit different grocery stores and markets, kids cooking classes, and find ways to get them involved in mealtime preparation without eating. And we encourage this, if a child is tube fed too.

To learn more on our Feeding Clinic and Nutrition Department at Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley visit our website at: https://www.easterseals.com/dfv/our-programs/medical-rehabilitation/specialized-clinics/feeding-clinic.html.  Contact Clinical Admissions at 630.261.6287 for questions or to schedule an appointment. 

Nutrition/Feeding Clinic at Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley –The Comprehensive Approach

By: Laura Van Zandt, MS, OTR/L & Pediatric Nutrition Therapist Cindy Baranoski MS, RDN, LDN

In January 2019 a groundbreaking article was published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition describing children challenged with feeding problems and their care. Pediatric Feeding Disorders (PFD) is the term the expert team of authors define as “impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate, and is associated with medical, nutrition, feeding skill, and/or psycho-social dysfunction.” It goes on to establish the basis for creation and implementation of a medical diagnosis code that would support children identified as having problems in any of these four areas, which are impaired by or impairing a child’s ability to eat a diet that is expected for age.

It concludes with the primary need for children to be identified early, and receive interdisciplinary evaluations and interventions, as opposed to seeing one practitioner alone to try and help all areas. Interdisciplinary thinking, evaluations, and treatment have been the core practice of Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley’s Feeding Clinic the past 20 years, since its inception in 2000.

What Brings You Here

From the moment we are born, feeding and eating is something that is supposed to come naturally to everyone. When a baby is born, we feel an overwhelming sense of love and a strong desire to watch over, protect, and nourish to grow. When it’s time for feeding, our bodies are already preparing the necessary tools to breakdown and process what is provided. Feeding involves more than just our mouths. At play are the sights (color, shape, size), feelings (warm, hot, cold, crunchy, chewy, soft, sticky), smells (sweet, stinky), sounds (loud, quiet), and most especially, the way our body works. From how our muscles work together to align our trunk in sitting, allowing our arms to reach, grasp, and explore, to coordination of suck, swallow, and breathe, and manipulating the food in our mouths, everything sets the foundation for a good relationship with mealtimes and foods. Our past and current experiences all shape our belief around feeding and nutrition. Your body must work all together to receive and process nourishment.

For some children, however, this process isn’t easy and doesn’t always come naturally. Many children struggle to coordinate their bodies to eat or drink, have GI systems that don’t process the foods well leading to constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, GE reflux, which leads to poor growth, frustrations, fear, and worry. For children with respiratory conditions, poor coordination of breathing, overall weakness, eating a meal like other children their age is nearly impossible. Yet, they still need what other children need – nourishment, socialization, variety, scheduled mealtimes, and interaction with foods. For these children, who may be fed through a tube, eating may not be the primary mode of nourishment, but all the other factors play into what promotes development, health, and good growth.

As a parent, nothing is more important than watching your child grow and thrive, and nothing is more heart wrenching than watching them struggle. When a child doesn’t eat, parents feel blame and guilt. We ask ourselves why? Did I do this? What could have I done differently? We try a host of different strategies. We Google and seek advice from family, friends, and medical providers. We fall back to what we know, which may or may not work.

Who We Are

Our Feeding Clinic at Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley consists of a team of individuals who have a passion for helping kids with feeding, mealtimes, tolerance, health, and growth. Our team assesses the many different reasons why a child might be struggling. We are not just looking at their ‘behavior’, but dig deeper and aim to understand the core source of the behavior and what it is communicating. Eating is so much more than bringing food to the mouth, chewing, and swallowing.

Our Clinic consists of a pediatric gastroenterologist/integrative medical practitioner, registered dietitian nutritionist, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, and parent liaison. The team has over 230+ years of combined expertise, and have gone on for extensive training in many areas, such as NeuroDevelopmental Therapy (NDT), Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach, DIR/Floortime, Respiratory and Rib Cage Development, Homeopathy, and Chinese medicine.

As a team, we review your child’s birth and developmental history prior to the appointment, with a thorough analysis of the diet record you submit. We ask you to let us know your expectations of the evaluation when filling out the paperwork, both online and written forms. Our goal is to meet these expectations. During the actual meeting we are looking and listening for red flags that clue us into issues driving the challenges your child is having. A list of possible reasons why your child might be seen by our feeding clinic is found in Table 1.

Table 1

• 

What Happens, What We Do, and What’s Next

During the interdisciplinary evaluation, the full team meets with the family. Engaging with and helping your child feel comfortable in the room, the speech and language pathologist and occupational therapist are also listening while beginning to perform a physical assessment.

Medical & Nutrition

First the team reviews and establishes your child’s medical health and overall nutrition status. Many medical complications from birth can impact a child. Undiagnosed medical and gastrointestinal (GI) problems often come to light in clinic.

Think of your child’s health like the foundation to your house. If your foundation is weak, then the floors above it will compensate for weakness. If your child is struggling from constipation, diarrhea, motility, gagging, GE reflux, then most likely they are subconsciously learning to connect food to feeling poorly. Additionally understanding your child’s nutrition, assists the team in understanding what might be contributing to what is not medical, allowing the team to make appropriate recommendations to ensure for growth and health. Analysis of current nutrition includes what is expected for your child, balance, timing of meals/snacks, calories, protein, fluid, hydration, vitamins/minerals, route of nutrition and growth. An understanding of both medical health and nutrition status, allows for changes from the foundation first and foremost.

Speech and Language Pathology & Occupational Therapy

Observing how your child interacts and engages during the evaluation can help the speech and language pathologist as well as occupational therapist, before they move on to assess the physical portion of eating and drinking. Our goal, no matter where your child is in their journey with food and feeding, is to have a positive relationship during the process. While observing your child, both therapists are also looking at their underlying motor skills and evaluating if any postural supports might be beneficial. Mary Massery, a well-known physical therapist, has said “breathing always wins”, and she is not wrong. Breathing dominates. Where your body is in space and stability is its second priority. Swallowing and feeding behavior must continually adapt to changing respiratory and postural systems.

When your child sits down with the therapists, it is about getting a better sense of your child’s oral motor skills from the speech and language pathologist. The occupational therapist is observing potential underlying sensory processing difficulties and relationship issues with food. Anxiety around meals and feeding can increase adrenaline which suppresses our desire to eat. Assisting with overall regulation is important for comfort at mealtimes.

Social Services

The emotion with feeding and nutrition difficulties can be overwhelming for both the parents and child. Many times, a child’s survival from birth and medical health is the primary focus, as it should be. When a child becomes more stable, a parent can start to see beyond the medical fears and begin to focus on other things such as independent feeding. With this new focus, the emotions, fear, concerns, and hope are still there. Whether your child is struggling to be an oral eater or being fed by tube, the emotions can be immobilizing. Our parent liaison is a vital team member in our clinic, helping every parent know they are not alone. She provides support, empathy and connections to any resources.

By the end of the evaluation, the team confers together within the same space as your family, and immediate and long-term recommendations are made. Often, these recommendations focus on gut health, breathing, positioning, or establishing improved nutrition, before working on some of the more therapeutic needs such as oral motor skills or sensory processing/relationship interactions. Sometimes recommendations are made to work on several key things simultaneously to help your child be more clinically stable, or a single recommendation that may be central to all other concerns identified. Returning to our 90 minute clinic for a follow up visit, may be one of the recommendations made.

Final Thoughts

Wherever you are at in your child’s journey, there are many aspects to feeding disorders in the pediatric population. Therefore identifying and addressing all of them is a priority that should not be overlooked. Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley’s Feeding Clinic has been and continues to view your child and his care from this interdisciplinary “Pediatric Feeding Disorders” approach, involving a skilled and expert team of professionals. Nutrition issues is an area that brings an enormous amount of stress and anxiety to a child and caregivers. Our team is uniquely qualified and experienced to assist children at all levels of feeding, instilling hope and helping them be their very best.

Each child is unique, and each intervention is tailored to fit your child and family. While you research options you have, consider the following –

• Aim to help your child feel their best. They need to feel well – this is key for success in any area.
• Ensure your child is receiving sound nutrition, regardless of what they are currently receiving. There are many ways around getting your child good nutrition.
• Assess their positioning with mealtimes and feeding to be sure they are fully supported. Positioning is key. Seated on a firm surface with feet flat on the floor or chair rail, with head and shoulders aligned over hips, equal weight bearing, is the most optimal positioning. Allow her arms to rest on her tray or table with shoulders down.
• Ensure a regular schedule. Regardless if your child is orally fed or through a tube, a mealtime plan is essential, and helps your child learn hunger and fullness, allows their bodies to sustain through the day, can improve their overall tolerance, and should have a positive beginning and end.
• Patience – feeding therapy is a journey with bumps and curves along the road. Share your compassion and empathy. Learning to eat and mealtimes, after a rough beginning, might involve reshaping many memories. You might have to start over to build trust. Remember even the tortoise finished the race with the hare.
• Expose, expose, expose and don’t limit opportunities for exposure. Have fun and play with food. Model appropriate food reactions – don’t “yuck someone else’s yum.” Continue to find way to present food to your child even if he/she is not ready to taste them. You can read books together about food, visit different grocery stores and markets, and find ways to get them involved in mealtime preparation without eating.

To learn more on our Nutritional Feeding Clinic visit our website at: https://www.easterseals.com/dfv/our-programs/medical-rehabilitation/specialized-clinics/feeding-clinic.html. And contact our Intake Coordinator at 630.261.6287 or mscholtes@eastersealsdfvr.org to ask questions or schedule an appointment for a feeding evaluation. 

Clarifying the New Drink Guidelines for Children

By: Cindy Baranoski MS, RDN, LDN
Manager of Nutritional Therapy

Maybe you heard about this in the news last week, or maybe not. Either way, trying to make sense of what we should be offering our children to drink is always a dilemma. From the moment a baby is born, the question becomes, breast milk or formula. Breast milk being the optimal choice, but that’s not always possible, so formula is available.

Children less than 12 months of age should never be offered a bottle of straight up milk, but after 1 year, it is the go to drink recommended by everyone. Juice is often offered, but it is not the same as eating the fruit or vegetable. And sometimes in infancy, prune juice is given to help with stools, but that’s not a rule. Many children do not like milk, once done with breast milk or formula, and parents begin to offer anything to help ensure their child is hydrated.

Bring in the new options available for children to drink and it can be confusing to know what is best to offer. For example, plant based milks are all the rage now for many reasons, including allergies, family preferences, cultural reasons, and last resorts for a picky eater. They are flavored, unflavored, sweetened, and unsweetened. And the selection continues to grow, including rice, almond, coconut, soy, oat, hemp, split pea, cashew, and blends to name only a few. Though these may seem like a great alternative to cows milk, each one of them can be found fortified, unfortified, with added protein, or original version. Most plant milks are going to be lacking in protein, fat, and potentially key vitamins and minerals found in cow’s milk.  Diet modifications can be made to help ensure what is lacking in a plant milk can be found in other sources in the diet. But if cow’s milk cannot is not the choice for whatever reason, plant milks with diet modification can work.

Photo by tung256.

Juices have changed as well, with many companies offering non sugar sweetened fruit and/or vegetable juices. Some companies offering cold pressed and fruit/vegetable smoothies with additives, such as greens, protein and vitamins. Use of sweeteners such as grape juice or artificial sweeteners replace sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Juice is not the best option for anyone to be consuming regularly, or in quantity, when the food brings so much more nutrition to the diet that has yet to be identified or quantified.

And then there is water, but not just tap water, but bottled water, flavored water, sweetened waters, artificially sweetened waters, vitamin boost waters, and sparkling waters. As a general guideline, plain old regular water with nothing added or changed, is the best choice.

To help, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart association have made some updated recommendations.

Not Recommended

• Artificially sweetened beverages
• “Low-calorie” or “Zero- calorie” drinks
• Toddler and flavored milks
• Sugar sweetened beverages
• Caffeinated beverages
• Soda

Juice Recommendations

• Less than 1 year of age: Do not offer juice
• 1-3 years of age:                4 ounces a day or less a day
• 4-5 years of age:                4-6 ounces a day or less a day

Milk recommendations

• 1-2 years of age:                16-24 ounces of whole milk a day
• 2-3 years of age:                16 ounces of skim or low fat milk a day
• 4-5 years of age:                20 ounces of skim or low fat milk a day

Water Recommendations

• 6-12 months of age:         4-8 ounces a day
• 1-3 years of age:                8-32 ounces a day
• 4-5 years of age:                12-40 ounces a day

Finally, whenever something is happening out of the ordinary with any child, and there is a struggle or question of fluids, seek the advice of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist to help guide what would be best. Looking at the child as a whole, their full diet, development, family choices, help with recommendations being made for fluids. This will ensure children receive optimal fluids, contributing to best growth and development.

For more information visit: eastersealsdfvr.org/nutrition or contact our Intake Coordinator at 630.261.6216.

Protein and Vegetables: What’s the Big Deal?

By: Nutrition Graduate Student, Cristal Medina and Pediatric Nutrition Therapist Cindy Baranoski MS, RDN, LDN

Most parents know it is important for children to eat a balanced diet. What exactly does a balanced diet mean? Generally, it means eating a variety of foods and getting enough of each food group. The five food groups are fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. Although every food group is important, it seems as though protein foods and vegetables receive the most attention. You may be wondering why these two food groups are so important, how much of each is needed, and how to get your child to meet the recommendations. We will cover all this, but let’s start with how much food your child needs.

Protein

Protein is a key nutrient for everyone from growing babies to elite athletes. It is necessary to build, maintain, and repair tissue. We need protein to form healthy bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and nails, as well as to make enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals. Protein foods are also important sources of nutrients such as iron, niacin, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, riboflavin, selenium, choline, phosphorous, zinc, copper, vitamin D, and Vitamin E. These vitamins and minerals offer a myriad of benefits to a growing child.

A common misconception is that protein is only found in animal-based foods, like meat. However, protein can also come from plant-based foods, like beans (example: pinto, black, kidney beans) and soy products (example: tofu, tempeh, edamame). The protein food group includes meat, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds. Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese will also provide your child with protein. Your child’s protein needs vary based on age, sex, and activity level. (Please see Table 1 above for recommended intake amounts.)

A serving from the protein food group, also referred to as an ounce-equivalent, is 1 ounce of meat, poultry, or fish, 1 egg, ¼ cup cooked beans or peas, ¼ cup tofu, 1 ounce of tempeh, 1 falafel patty, 2 tablespoons of hummus, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds. Please see Table 2 for common protein food portions.

Table 2. Common Portions and Servings of Protein Foods*

Protein Food	Common Portion and Servings
Meats	1 small steak = 3.5 to 4 servings 1 small hamburger = 2 to 3 servings
Poultry	1 small chicken breast half = 3 servings ½ Cornish game hen = 4 servings
Seafood	1 can of tuna, drained = 3 to 4 servings 1 salmon steak = 4 to 6 servings
Eggs	3 egg whites = 2 servings 3 egg yolks = 1 ounce-equivalent
Nuts and Seeds	1 ounce of nuts or seeds = 2 servings 2 tablespoons peanut butter = 2 servings
Beans and Peas	½ cup cooked beans (example: pinto, black, or kidney) or peas = 2 servings 1 cup split pea soup = 2 servings 1 cup lentil soup = 2 servings 1 cup bean soup = 2 servings 1 soy or bean burger patty = 2 servings 2 tablespoons of hummus = 1 serving

*Adapted from https://www.choosemyplate.gov/protein-foods

A couple examples of convenient and kid-friendly protein foods are hamburger patties (examples: McDonald’s, White Castle [yes, fast food is okay]), fish sticks, chicken nuggets, Boca vegan burgers, and milk (examples: cow’s milk, Ripple milk, hemp milk). If your child prefers to drink rather than eat, try supplementing with a nutritious drink (examples: Kate Farms, Vega, Orgain, PediaSure). If your child does not eat solid foods, you can puree meat, poultry, seafood, and tofu, mash beans and peas, and provide foods like creamy nut butters, hummus, blended soups, and smooth yogurt. If your child relies on formula given through a feeding tube or drinking a supplement for most or all of his/her daily nutrition intake, s/he may be getting enough protein if s/he is consuming enough. Make sure to speak to a registered dietitian if you have any concerns about your child meeting his/her protein needs.

QUICK RECIPE: Black Bean Quesadilla* INGREDIENTS  ¾ cup pico de gallo 1 can (15.5 oz) black beans (great protein source!) ½ cup shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 4 eight-inch flour tortillas ½ teaspoon olive oil DIRECTIONS 1.      Using small-hole strainer, drain liquid from Pico de Gallo; discard liquid. Transfer leftover tomato mixture to medium bowl. Mix in black beans, cheese and cilantro until combined. 2.      Divide black bean mixture evenly over half of each tortilla (about ½ cup each). Fold tortillas in half. 3.      Heat large griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with oil. Place filled tortillas on griddle. Cook, carefully flipping once, until tortillas are golden brown and crisp and cheese filling melts, about 5 minutes. Cut quesadillas into wedges. Makes 8 servings. Optional: For additional protein, add chicken or your favorite meat! *Adapted from: https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/misc/GOYAcookbook-EN-HealthyTastyAffordableLatinCooking.pdf

Vegetables

Vegetables are full of nutrients including dietary fiber, potassium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin B6, manganese, thiamin, niacin, and choline. These nutrients can help your child build healthy bones, heal cuts and wounds, protect against infection, support heart health, promote healthy aging, and maintain healthy eyes, skin, teeth and gums.

The vegetable food group is made up of vegetables and 100% vegetable juice. Vegetables come in a variety of forms to fit any diet. They can be raw, cooked, fresh, frozen, canned, dried/dehydrated, whole, sliced, mashed, pureed, or juiced. Please see Table 1 above for recommended intake amounts.

Dr. Praeger’s Food

A serving, or cup-equivalent, from the vegetable group can be 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables, 1 cup of vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens. There are some great brands out there that sell kid-friendly, veggie-containing foods. Two examples of brands are Dr. Praeger’s Purely Sensible Foods and Happy Family. Dr. Praeger’s line of foods includes a variety of “Puffs”, “Cakes”, and “Littles” (these are shaped liked stars, dinosaurs, and bears!) that are made with ingredients like broccoli, spinach, kale, and carrots. Happy Family sells everything from bars, to squeeze pouches, to puffs (some of these are also shaped like dinos!). These foods can have veggies like tomato, kale, spinach, and carrots. Their foods are appropriate for all ages, from infants to adults.

You can also try incorporating vegetables into other foods at home. Combine leafy green vegetables, celery, carrots, or beets with fruit to make a juice or smoothie. Store-bought, single serving vegetable juices and smoothies (example: Bolthouse Farms or Naked Juice) are also an option if you are on-the-go. You can also try blending pureed cooked cauliflower in mashed potatoes and mixing pureed cooked sweet potato or carrot into a cheese or pasta sauce. Blending cooked pumpkin, carrot, squash, or sweet potato into a tomato or vegetable soup can also increase your child’s vegetable intake. These ideas are also appropriate for children who do not eat solids.

If your child relies on a tube feeding formula or an oral supplement, s/he may be meeting all vitamin and mineral needs if s/he is consuming enough. If not, your child may benefit from a multivitamin. A registered dietitian can help you plan on the best way to get more nutrients into your child. If you are interested in adding blended vegetables to your child’s tube feeding regimen, a registered dietitian can also help you get started with blenderized tube feedings.

QUICK RECIPE: Pineapple and Spinach Smoothie* INGREDIENTS  2 cups pineapple 1 cup baby spinach (great way to consume veggies!) 1 banana 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 cup ice ¼ tsp ground cinnamon DIRECTIONS Combine pineapple, spinach, banana, almond milk, ice and cinnamon in blender. Cover; blend until smooth. Makes 2 servings. *Adapted from: http://www.dole.com/recipes/p/Pineapple-Pit-Stop-Smoothie

To learn more about nutrition therapy through Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley, please visit eastersealsdfvr.org/nutrition.

 

References:

1. https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/
2. https://www.choosemyplate.gov
3. http://www.dole.com/en/recipes
4. https://drpraegers.com/
5. https://happyfamilybrands.com/

 

 

Got Calcium?

By Dana Sivak, Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley Dietetic Intern and Northern Illinois University Student

“Got milk?” is a saying originally part of a campaign generated by the dairy industry to remind consumers of the importance for consuming milk on one of the premises that it serves as a good source of calcium. But why, we might ask, do we need to focus our energy on consuming calcium? Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, with 99% of it found in bone and teeth. Throughout the course of the day, calcium is constantly being broken down, reabsorbed, and resourced back to form new bones.  In children, especially, the turnover rate of bone is ever-present to support growth and development. By age 24, on average, humans reach peak-bone mass, and thus it is important that we maximize our efforts to nutritionally meet our body’s calcium needs– so encourage your child to sport that milk mustache proudly!

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium changed last November after further research determined a greater need for calcium in our diets. The following are the US Food and Nutrition Board’s updated RDA values for calcium based on age:

• 0-6 months = 200 mg
• 7-12 months = 260 mg
• 1-3 years = 700 mg
• 4-8 years = 1000 mg
• 9-18 years = 1300 mg
• 19-50 years = 1000 mg
• 51-70 years = 1000 mg (male) or 1200 (female)
• 71+ years = 1200 mg

Now you might ask, how do I know if I’m meeting my child’s needs? (…and yours?! Your health matters, too!) The simplest answer for this is to check the nutrition label for the exact content of calcium provided for the food items typically consumed in your household.

Calcium rich foods are commonly thought to be those that exist within the dairy food group, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. These types of food provided a natural, readily available, and rich source of calcium to our diets. But what if your household is “dairy” free or someone in your household either has a lactose intolerance or cow’s milk protein allergy? Not to worry! There are other rich food sources of calcium to consider, too! Non-dairy sources of calcium include dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, as well as broccoli, green beans, and green bell peppers.  Other sources included fortified food products such as cereals, fruits juices (orange juice) and cow’s milk alternatives.  Smaller amounts of calcium can be found in seafood (sardines, scallops, shrimp, whitefish/salmon), tofu, legumes and nuts, eggs, and yes – even chocolate! Table 1 demonstrates the calcium content comparison for these various food sources.

Table 1. Calcium content of various calcium-rich food sources. (from the National Institute of Health’s website.

Food Item	Recommended Serving Size	Calcium Content (mg)
Milk	1 C
·         Cow’s milk, nonfat, with added vitamins A and D		299 mg
·         Silk Soymilk, unsweetened, with added calcium, vitamins A, D, B12, and riboflavin		299 mg
·         Rice milk, unsweetened, with added calcium and vitamins A and D		283 mg
·         Hemp Milk, Living Harvest Tempt, Vanilla		300mg
·         Oat Milk, Pacific Foods, Organic Oat Original		350mg
·         Coconut milk, Silk Original		450mg
·         Almond Dream almond milk, with added vitamins A, D, and B12		300 mg
·         Ripple Milk		450mg
·         Silk Protein Nut milk		450 mg
Yogurt, plain, low fat	1 C (8 oz)	415 mg
Mozzarella Cheese, part skim	1.5 oz.	333 mg
Cheddar Cheese	1.;5 oz.	307 mg
Orange Juice, Calcium-fortified	6 oz	261mg
Tofu, firm, made with calcium sulfate	½ C	253 mg
Fortified Cereal	½ C	100-1000 mg
Spinach	1 C	216 mg
Green Vegetables	½ C	60 mg
White Fish or Salmon	3 oz. (1 filet)	70 mg
Nuts (Ie. Peanuts or Almonds)	¼ C	60 mg
Chocolate	5 squares	50 mg
Eggs	1 egg	25 mg

Inadequate intake of calcium over time can cause osteopenia, a less severe and reversible precursor to osteoporosis. Those who do not sufficiently meet their calcium intake, are at an increased risk for skeletal fracture injuries.  Similar to vitamin D deficiency, additional at-risk populations are those who spend most of their time indoors and those who live north of the equator. This is because Vitamin D functions with calcium to aid in its absorption. Without adequate Vitamin D, the calcium of foods eaten may not be fully functional once digested. Lastly, those who do not partake in weight-bearing activities on a routine basis are more likely to have an increased need for calcium. This is because bone is not able to be broken down and thereby calcium is not able to help contribute to the reformation of new bone. Annual bone-DEXA testing is recommended for those who are at risk.

Efforts should be made to maximize bone development during critical stages of an infant, toddlers, and child’s growth to minimize future risk of osteoporosis. If efforts cannot be made from a physical activity standpoint due to a disability, one’s calcium intake in the form of food or possible requirement for supplement should be highly prioritized. To help with such planning, it is recommended to advocate for your child’s welfare and seek out further information for the level of risk your child is at by discussing this with their physician. Furthermore, it is recommended to meet with a dietitian who can assess the diet specific to calcium and offer suggestions for ensuring adequate intake.

 

If you find your child has nutrition problems including failure to thrive, obesity, poor feeding skills, sensory disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders or others, schedule a nutritional evaluation with Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley today. Learn more at eastersealsdfvr.org/nutrition.

My Kid is a Picky Eater and I Need Help!

By: Laura Van Zandt, OTR/L

Around 2 years of age, children enter the age of autonomy where they become aware of their individuality and become increasingly independent. This is also the age where they become increasing comfortable testing limits. Around this age, kids are most likely to start becoming “picky eaters.” By the time children enter preschool, many have begun to move past this phase and start to expand their food preferences; however, some children don’t move out of the picky eating stage and continue to refuse foods. Foods once liked may become dropped and not added back into their diet. The big difference between typical picky eating and avoidant /restrictive food intake disorder (AFRID) is that typical picky eating fades away in conjunction with repeated food exposure and a positive mealtime environment.

Children with ARFID may also have other health issues or conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, sensory processing, food allergies, constipation, and/or anxiety. Some children who were born prematurely may have required breathing and feeding tubes during hospitalization which can increase oral sensitivity. A child who had a choking episode in the past, was forced to eat, or who had multiple respiratory infections at a time when she was learning to eat may have developed negative associations with eating. Some children may have a sensory system which is offended by the texture, smell, odor, or appearance of food. These sensitivities may alter how kids experience food and result in their refusing to eat many foods. Anxiety can stem from the food itself, especially if it’s unfamiliar or disliked, or it can result from other factors such as pressure to eat at mealtime or a negative memory of eating. Older kids may experience social anxiety around their peers.

Parents often have good intuition and know when something is not right with their child’s eating patterns. Some signs of AFRID include refusing food due to its smell, texture or flavor, or a generalized lack of interest in eating. Children may have poor eating or feeding abilities, such as preferring pureed foods or a refusal to self-feed. They may be underweight or demonstrate slowed growth due to inadequate or poor nutrition. They may also show signs of anxiety or fear of eating. If you feel like your child’s eating patterns is moving beyond typical picky eating, please schedule an appointment with a pediatric occupational or speech therapist that specializes in feeding.

What can be done:

1. Schedule a comprehensive evaluation with an occupational or speech therapist can assist you in helping rule in/out other medical conditions which may also be influencing your child’s eating behaviors and patterns. A therapist may also be able to make recommendations to further evaluate nutrition or evaluation for gastrointestinal issues causing discomfort or pain influencing feeding. They will help develop a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses all different angles of feeding.
2. Read occupational therapists Maureen Karwowski’s blog regarding playing with your food. Research suggests that when too much negative pressure is placed on the child for eating, the child’s appetite may also decrease and could spur an emotional response leaving the child to dread mealtimes. Vice versa, additional research also suggests that when children are allowed to mess with their food and are given permission to touch, handle, and even squash foods they are actually more likely eat them. Allowing your child to handle food without the expectation to eat the food allows them to gradually desensitize their body to the sights, smells, and feeling of a variety of food. Allowing your child to play with food helps to build new brain pathways that help to reshape prior negative experiences with food.
3. Recruit your child’s help. If you do not already meal plan, start meal planning and involving your child as much as possible in the process. When at the grocery store, ask your child to pick out food on the grocery list (even if it is not food your child regularly eats). At home, encourage your child to help rinse fruits and vegetables, stir batter, use scissors to cut herbs, or set the table. During mealtimes, serve dishes family style where everyone passes the different food bowls.
4. Be patient and start very small. Your child might need repeated exposure to try a new food. You may also need to start by presenting a single bite of a vegetable or a fruit versus presenting a lot of the food immediately off the bat. Sometimes, even reading books about different foods, might be the place to start with your child.
5. Think of fun and creative ways to present the same food. For example, if you child is learning how to like pizza, you can try serving pizza on a tortilla shell or on an English muffin. The following are a few books on food that are good to read with children:

• Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
• I Will Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
• The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman
• Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
• Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell

5. Enroll your child in a food group. Easter Seals has routinely been offering an occupational therapy and speech therapy group called “Fun with Food” that helps children learn how to explore foods using all their senses, including touch, smell, sight, and taste. Each session will utilize sensory “warm up” games prior to heading to the kitchen for our snacks. Parents are encouraged to continue with food exploration at home based on weekly recommendations following each session.

Learn more about our occupational therapy services at http://www.easterseals.com/dfv/our-programs/medical-rehabilitation/occupational-therapy.html. 

Simple Strategies for Picky Eaters

By: Mandy Glasener, Lead Preschool Teacher and Danni Drake, Teacher Assistant

As pre-school teachers, we are all too familiar with this battle. How do you get a 3-year-old to try something new or eat their vegetables? We will share with you some of our tried and true secrets!

The key is to disguise it!

We managed to get a whole classroom of preschoolers to eat their peas and want more! Crazy! Right?

We made pea pancakes.  A savory treat full of fiber, protein and fun!

Focusing on the aesthetics makes it fun for all kids to eat. Can you eat the nose? Who will eat his eyeballs first?

Not only are you making it a learning experience, you are eating healthy right along with your child.

Also, we LOVE Pinterest. We have found many easy recipes that are quick and healthy that the children love and ask for us to make together. Some of our favorites are below!

1. The rice cake face.  You can change it up and use fruit and yogurt too! The possibilities are endless!
2. A favorite pre-school activity is mixing and making zucchini bread is a winner to make for snack time every time!
3. Dips are popular too! This ranch hummus dip is a winner!

We use the hummus as “glue” and go fishing for goldfish with our veggie stick rods! Not only are you eating an amazing, fiber, protein packed snack, you are also having fun playing a game!

Growing a garden (even a few small containers) is a rewarding experience even for the youngest of gardeners. Everything is more delicious when you grow it all by yourself!

We grow our own vegetables here at “The Lily Garden” and harvesting is always a very exciting time. We have tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini and broccoli  growing this year. In the past we have done rainbow carrots, kale and potatoes too!

Involve your kids in the food preparation and it will make them want to try it too. Research shows that if your child is involved with the meal prep they are much more likely to eat it. Also be a role model and show them that you like to eat your fruits and veggies too!

Please share your favorite healthy snacks in the comments.

Happy snacking!

The Lily Garden Child Development Center incorporates a play-based program philosophy. We understand that children learn best when provided with experiences in an environment that is positive, nurturing and developmentally appropriate. Learn more about the Lily Garden Child Development Center here.

 

 

Preventing illness through clean hands, food and home

By: Cindy Baranoski MS, RDN, LDN

Bacteria and viruses are everywhere, all around us. They live in our bodies and on our bodies. Even our digestive and immune systems depend upon their presence to provide us with optimal health. While viruses create illnesses we all remember, bacteria are the culprits more often, bringing us foodborne illness or that nasty ‘stomach flu’. With bacteria the obvious places, such as the kitchen sink, bathroom, garbage can, are usually associated with ‘germs’ and the potential for some sort of illness.  But bacteria are an invisible society living among us. Bacteria’s numbers are in the millions, and the types of bacteria we are exposed to can bring illness and health.

Wash your hands!

One of the easiest ways to prevent illness is to keep clean. Our hands, foods, kitchens, bathroom, anything we come into contact with in our world. If we simply wash our hands regularly, and not touch our eyes, noses, mouths, our chances of becoming infected by bacteria are significantly lessened.

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a dedicated web page to washing hands, with clear instructions and tips such as:

• Wash hands before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick

Keep your food and kitchen clean!

In kitchens, we have a ton of opportunities to come into contact with bacteria that can bring on an illness.  With millions of bacteria found in the tiniest of places, imagine the size of your kitchen and just how many places are teeming with the little critters.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education at www.fightbac.org has a wonderful website loaded with helpful information on food safety. If you visit their site, you can find answers to many questions about the food you buy, prepare, eat, store, throw away and reheat. One of the most helpful sections of their site is The Core Four Practices. These are simple practices for food safety.

CLEAN – Wash hands and surfaces often

1. Wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, using the bathroom, changing a diaper, or handling your pets. (Check out the hand washing guide from the CDC).
2. Wash items in the kitchen – dishes, utensils, counter tops, cutting boards with hot soapy water, after you use an item and before you use it on something else.
3. Use paper towels for clean up, or if you use cloth towels be sure to wash them on hot.
4. Rinse all fruits and veggies under water. For those with firm skins, use a vegetable brush.

SEPARATE – Don’t cross-contaminate

1. Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in shopping cart and bags, as well as your refrigerator.
2. Do not use the same cutting board for meat and fresh produce.
3. Do not place cooked food on a plate that had raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs on it.

COOK – Cook foods to a safe internal temperature

1. Use a thermometer to measure internal temperature when cooking meat, poultry and egg dishes.
2. Cook roasts and steaks to no less than 145°F. Poultry to 165°F. Ground meat to 160 °F. Fish to 145 °F.
3. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm.
4. Be sure there are no cold spots when cooking foods.
5. Heat leftovers thoroughly to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

CHILL – Chill foods immediately

1. Refrigerate foods quickly to 40°F or below. Use an appliance thermometer to be sure of the temperature. Freezers should be 0°F or below.
2. Refrigerate foods as soon as you get home from the store.
3. Never allow raw meat, poultry, eggs, cooked food or fresh fruits or veggies to sit at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. If the room is warm, then less than 1 hour sitting out. Do not defrost food at room temperature. Allow foods to thaw in the refrigerator. In a pinch you can use cold water or microwave for thawing, but these foods need to be cooked immediately.
4. Marinate food in a refrigerator – and do not use marinate from raw meat, fish, poultry as a dipping sauce.
5. Divide large quantities of foods into shallow containers to allow for faster cooling when storing foods, such as leftovers.

Your Refrigerator

Watch this video from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) on keeping your refrigerator clean. Wiping the inside and outside down, cleaning the shelves and the front grill are as important as the counter tops you use to prepare foods. Going through your refrigerator often to toss outdated foods is something you should do on a regular basis. Know that foods have ‘use by’ dates which refers to food quality, and ‘expiration’ dates to know when to throw something away that is no longer consumable.

You can access more Home Food Safety resources at the AND website including:

• Apps like Is My Food Safe?
• Videos on how to wash fruits and vegetables
• Safety tips on Holiday cooking to raw milk or keeping lunch boxes clean,
• Food safety with hiking and camping, as well as keeping fruits fresh and reducing food waste are at this site as well.

Be Aware

Use common sense with foods and have respect for the fact that much of what we consume comes through a process where many people have been in contact with our food before we even purchase it.  Who has picked the apple from the tree?  Where did the chicken egg even come from? Who prepackaged your deli meats? Was the tomato you purchased ever rolling around the grocery store floor before you picked it off the shelf?

Photo by Rich Howe

Certainly we don’t want to become so focused on cleanliness that we bring more harm than good to our bodies. Remember that millions of bacteria depend on our bodies for their home. When these bacteria are living in a symbiotic relationship with us, we have health. And when they have a good life, we do as well. But when the good bacteria are outnumbered by the bad bacteria, we have illness. An awareness to clean hands, foods and areas that support our mealtimes is great place to start.

For more information on Nutritional Therapy and scheduling an evaluation at Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley, visit our website: http://www.easterseals.com/dfv/our-programs/medical-rehabilitation/nutritional-therapy.html.

Help children receive the nutritional therapy they need!

By: Cindy Baranoski, MS, RDN, LDN – Pediatric Nutrition Therapist

Excellent nutrition is one of the most basic requirements for a child to grow and thrive. A study published by Pediatrics found that diagnosis-specific, structured approaches to nutrition issues among children with developmental disabilities significantly improved energy consumption and nutritional status. Yet, nutrition disorders and compromised nutritional status are very frequent among children with developmental disabilities.

Research shows that as many as 90% of children with a developmental disorder have at least one nutrition risk indicator. Nutrition problems can include failure to thrive, obesity, poor feeding skills, sensory disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders, to name only a few. Individuals with special needs are also more likely to develop co-existing medical conditions that require nutrition interventions.

Thanks to two significant grants from Hanover Township Mental Health Board and Special Kids Foundation, Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley can now offer nutrition services for children, regardless of insurance, in areas currently underserved immediately north and west of DuPage County. This includes full financial support for those uninsured, underinsured or on Medicaid; and partial support for those in Early Intervention or with insurance. Children who qualify will receive a nutrition evaluation and follow up nutrition therapy as needed.

Qualifications for children (birth to 21 years of age) to receive this service include:

• Eligible medical diagnosis or identified eating concern  AND

• Resides in one of the selected areas (Zip codes detailed in link)

Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley Nutrition Therapy provides care that is difficult to find elsewhere in a community or medical setting. Training and specialties include assisting children with improved oral and digestive tolerance, modifications to help improve growth,  adjusting diet for improved variety, volume and complexity of foods and fluids, balancing the diet of those with food allergies or sensitivities, help with transitioning (off of or onto) a tube feeding, and homemade blenderized formula and diet modifications.

Evaluations are performed at the Center, in the family’s home or community setting. Our goal is to provide optimal nutrition care to children with developmental disabilities through an inter-disciplinary approach, addressing their nutrition risks and disorders and helping them to lead healthier lives.

Please refer parents, other specialists or anyone else with questions about the program to our Nutrition Therapy intake coordinator, Christy Stringini, who can be reached at 630-261-6126 and cstringini@EasterSealsDFVR.org.

Learn more about Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley nutritional therapy and feeding clinic at www.eastersealsdfvr.org.

Beyond the Sippy Cup

By: Jennifer Tripoli, M.S., CCC-SLP

I often get asked the question “Should my child use a sippy cup?” It’s a difficult question to answer. Sippy cups were initially invented in the 1980s by a mechanical engineer who was sick and tired of cleaning up his son’s juice mess around the house. He uniquely devised a prototype for the no spill mechanism and just like that problem solved! He eventually sold his patent to Playtex ® and the rest is history as this became the go to type of cup for babies learning to transfer from bottle to cup.

I am sure you probably see tons and tons of children walking around the mall, playing at the park, and in the car with their sippy cups. This is the era of “to go” cups. Everyone, including adults bring their drinks (coffee, tea, water) to their next destination. I understand the convenience of sippy cups for parents and quite frankly I get it, but hopefully I can convince you to try out some other convenient cups that will support your child’s oral motor and speech development.

So why are they really SO bad?

• Promote immature tongue movement pattern or suckle
  • Sippy cups promote an anterior-posterior tongue movement pattern, similar to the way an infant extracts liquid from a bottle or breast (suckle pattern). We want to begin to promote a more upward and backward swallow pattern for infants and toddlers by way of an open cup or straw cup. Sippy cups promote a suckle pattern especially with continued use.
• Promote inappropriate tongue position for swallowing
  • The spout on the sippy cup can anchor the tongue tip down during swallowing. The only way for the tongue to move is forward. During a mature swallow pattern the tongue tip elevates to the area behind the upper teeth (alveolar ridge) as the tongue moves upward and backward.
• Promote speech sound errors
  • Continued and overuse of sippy cups (and pacifiers!) promote the tongue to rest forward in the mouth. This inappropriate resting tongue position can directly impact your child’s ability to produce certain sounds. For example, a child may produce the ‘th’ sound (a frontal produced sound) in for an ‘s’ sound (‘tho’ for ‘so’). It is important to note that not all children who use sippy cups will have speech sound errors. My thought is though let’s set our children up for success by using developmentally appropriate cups!
• Poor dental development and Dental Caries
  • Sippy cups can cause cavities and tooth decay. If your child is sipping on fruit drinks, milk, or any other sugary drinks, sugar can be left on their teeth which will cause the enamel to erode away. Sippy cups (and pacifiers!) can also cause misshaped oral cavities and affect resting tongue position.
• Risk of Injury
  • In my research on sippy cups, I came across a study proving sippy cups can be dangerous?! Who would have thought?! A study conducted in 2012 by Dr. Sarah Keim at Nationwide’s Children Hospital in Columbus, Ohio stated every 4 hours a child in the U.S. is rushed to the hospital due to an injury from a sippy cup, bottle, or pacifier. Dr. Keim stated this likely occurs due to the child learning to walk. As they are learning to walk, they trip and fall often. If they have a bottle, pacifier, or sippy cup in their mouth they can injure themselves.

So what’s the alternative?

• Open cups
  • Many parents think I am crazy when I suggest an open cup for a young child. Yes, it may seem a bit ambitious, but an important step in the development of good oral motor and feeding skills! When children drink from an open cup they are developing a more mature swallow pattern. A smaller open cup (with a smaller rim) will allow your child to have better motor control of the liquid. You can first try giving your child an open cup to practice without liquid (place a preferred pureed on the rim of the cup) or you can use thickened liquid in the cup for a slower flow.
• Straw Cups
  • It may take your child some time to learn how to extract liquid from a straw, but be patient and the skill should develop! When choosing a straw cup choose a straw that is thin versus thick. Also make sure the straw is not too long. It is possible for young children to drink from a straw cup with a suckle pattern. Some children are able to extract liquid from the straw by placing the straw under their tongue. To avoid this, you can slowly cut the straw ¼ inch at a time until the straw is short enough that the child cannot place his/her tongue underneath it.

Here are a few of my favorite open cups and straw cups!

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To learn more about development milestones and speech-language therapy services, visit eastersealsdfvr.org.