Good nutrition is particularly important for adults with CP, so they can maintain muscle strength, support their health and avoid diet-related problems. 

The benefits of good nutrition include:

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

If you are concerned about whether your diet is adequate, or if you are having problems with eating and drinking, speak with your healthcare team. When the quality of the nutrients you are getting is not sufficient or if swallowing is a problem for you, this can create potential health issues, such as chest infections (from inhaled food), tooth decay, or weight loss or gain.

Some of the reasons you may have poor nutrition include:

• difficulties with chewing or swallowing
• having a poor appetite if you experience problems such as constipation or reflux
• having frequent infections or hospital visits
• needing a diet that has a different consistency, such as soft, minced or puréed
• having to rely on others for feeding assistance.

Your healthcare team will include allied health professionals, such as a dietitian and a speech pathologist, who can assess you, monitor changes in your weight, and create, or adapt your existing program to support your nutritional needs. This often includes education about good nutrition and whether nutritional supplements are required.

When you are in different environments, such as study, work or social events, you may require various strategies to manage your nutrition. Getting regular assessments and the right support whenever your circumstances change will help you manage your health and dietary needs.

This is also important because nutritional needs vary as people age. For example, older adults who are less active need fewer kilojoules (calories), but still need good, if not better, nutrition than when they were younger.

Your healthcare team can provide suggestions and approaches for you to try that support and improve your eating, drinking and overall nutrition. These may include:

• looking at the nutritional quality of your diet and making changes to it, if required
• looking at any problems you may have that can be helped with a change in diet, such as adding fibre for constipation
• trying techniques such as having smaller meals often, rather than three bigger meals, as this can be less tiring
• how to provide foods with different textures, such as thickened drinks or mashed food, if required
• considering supplements for nutrients that might be lacking in your diet, such as calcium and vitamin D to reduce your risk of osteoporosis.

Changes to your diet or feeding techniques should only be undertaken with a healthcare team’s supervision.