Good nutrition is essential for healthy development of young children with special health care needs. UAMS Kids First serves breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack at each location that meets the USDA Child Nutrition guidelines.
Nutrition staff includes two master-level Registered, Licensed Dietitians who travel to our 11 UAMS Kids First clinics across Arkansas seek to provide the highest quality of nutrition services to all children enrolled.
Nutrition Services Include:
- Nutrition screening, assessment and periodic follow-up
- Consultation and coordination of nutrition treatment plan with family and staff
- Family, staff, and community training
- Preparation of daily menus including accommodating food allergies and special diets
- Serve as resource and provide training for local, state and national programs and services.
- Mentor undergraduate and graduate nutrition students and interns
- Ongoing research
Some Common Nutrition Related Diagnosis and Associated Problems of Children Enrolled:
- Malnutrition/Failure To Thrive
- Overweight/Obesity
- Genetic/Metabolic Feeding Problems
- Cardiac/Renal Disease
- Autism and Feeding Difficulties
- Children requiring Enteral Tube Feedings
- Food Allergies and Intolerances
In 2007, Dietitians and Early Childhood Education Specialists collaborated to produce Nutrition and Physical Activity Can Be Fun Curriculum, which consists of A Curriculum, Leader’s Guide, Game Board and a CD with 15 fun filled songs. This curriculum won the Creative Nutrition award from the American Dietetic Association’s Pediatric Practice Group in 2007. The curriculum when on to be patented and sold to other early childhood providers. Activities supporting healthy food choices and encouraging physical activity are still used at UAMS Kids First today hand have been adopted by other programs as well. Our dietitians work closely with other disciplines, including therapists and nursing staff, to create and implement innovative programming to optimize physical health.