Nutrition Diet for Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a condition that appears in the first few years of your child's life. It is caused by brain damage, which interferes with messages from the brain to the body. According to OFCP website it's not contagious, hereditary, or life threatening. Approximately two to four out of every 1000 births will result in cerebral palsy in the U.S. and Europe. Approximately 35 percent of children with cerebral palsy are malnourished, due to the fact that they can often have difficulty in swallowing and chewing food.

Liquid Diets

If your child has difficulty in swallowing or chewing food, there are some liquid nourishing foods that can be helpful. Give your child Ensure Plus, Carnation Instant Breakfast or Pediasure, as this will include many vitamins, minerals and calories to help with proper growth. Make milkshakes with added protein powder. Give your child as much water and liquid as possible to eliminate the possibility of constipation, which often occurs in children with cerebral palsy.

Dietician Help

You do not have to deal with diet problems alone. Contact a good dietitian to help you work out a special diet for your child with his particular needs. Dietitians will also assist you with ways to get your child to eat comfortably and make sure there are enough calories, vitamins and minerals for continued growth.

Specific Nutrients

Your child with cerebral palsy needs the same nutrition as the average healthy child. You should select the most nutritious foods that the child will be able to eat and also enjoy. Try some simple foods such as eggs, puddings, custards and raisins. When blending ice cream with milk add some wheatgerm. Cheese is a great protein, and most kids love melted cheese with macaroni or sandwiches. Remember to be very patient and calm when feeding your child.

Ketogenic Diet

Ketogenic diets have proved successful with people with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Seizures are common with children who are afflicted with cerebral palsy, and this diet has been shown in tests to help reduce them. Before embarking on this diet talk with your health professional to see if it will work for your child. This diet is high in fat while restricting carbohydrates. You give the child 3 to 4 gram of fat for every one gram of carbs. You will be feeding the child high-fat dairy products, peanut butter and fatty meats. You will need to supplement this diet with calcium, vitamin D, iron and folic acid. This diet works better on children than adults according to CerebralPalsy.org.