Success of Nutritional Therapies for Selected Developmental Disabilities

One in six children in the United States has some form of a developmental disability. The prevalence of these conditions requires that health professionals are knowledgeable of the abundant medical therapies available to increase the quality of life of individuals with developmental disabilities. The term developmental disability encompasses a wide variety of disorders, but this presentation focuses on Down Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and Prader-Willi Syndrome. Many methods can be implemented by health care providers to promote health in individuals who present with these disorders. Nutrition therapies have the potential to be beneficial, but due to lack of practitioner knowledge and education about these approaches, they are often not considered. Health professionals, especially those trained in nutrition such as Registered Dietitians, need to be aware of and educated in the success of nutritional therapies for developmental disorders. This presentation discusses the success of various nutritional therapies in selected developmental disorders as determined through analysis of research articles and other current resources published within the last fifteen years. Through this extensive research, it is clear that nutritional therapies, can play an integral role in improving the quality of life in individuals with developmental disorders.