Good nutrition is important for the health and development of your baby, toddler or young child with CP, as it is for every child, so they can reach their potential in growth and development.

If your child has difficulty with feeding or swallowing, it is important that you speak with your healthcare team as soon as possible, as this can affect the quality of the nutrients they are getting from their food and drinks. It can also create potential health issues, such as chest infections (from inhaled food).

The benefits of good nutrition include:

• improved weight and growth
• improved immune function
• decreased irritability
• improved cognitive ability (brain-based skills involved in thinking)
• more rapid recovery from surgery and illness
• general improvement in wellbeing
• improved circulation

If you are worried that your child has swallowing difficulties, talk to your GP about getting them a clinical evaluation to work out the level of support they require. This is the first step to gaining the most accurate assessment of your child’s needs.

Surgical and non-surgical interventions are available to improve digestion issues experienced by babies, toddlers and young children with CP.

Your healthcare team will often include allied health professionals, such as a dietitian and a speech pathologist, who can create a treatment or intervention program to support your child’s nutritional needs.

As your child grows, they may require different interventions and strategies. Getting the right support at each stage of their development is important.

Your healthcare team can provide suggestions and approaches for you try that can support and enhance your child’s eating, drinking and overall nutrition, including:

• providing foods with different textures, such as thickened drinks
• preparing food differently, such as mashing food.

If you’re concerned about your child’s nutrition or diet, please talk to your GP, maternal and child health nurse or paediatrician.

In the below section, you will find information on diet and nutrition for babies, toddlers and young children, including breast and bottle feeding, reflux and digestive issues, changing dietary and nutritional needs, introducing babies and toddlers to new foods, interventions and therapies, and much more.