The volume and type of food a child eats can be a source of worry for parents, whether they are concerned their child is overeating or under eating, according to the Raising Children Network (2021).
They say that while healthy children who have energy to play, learn, and explore are probably eating enough, those who eat in a restrictive or selective way may not be receiving the nutrition they need. This is further supported by a study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2018), which looked at the ‘long-lasting effects of under nutrition’.
Pharmacists can assist parents by assessing children in the community for their nutritional risk, provide basic information regarding nutritional needs, and refer children who are at nutritional risk for further assessment.
Guild Learning and Development is partnering with Abbott Nutrition in the development of a new online module on this topic, titled Managing nutrition in children.
This course educates pharmacists on the nutritional needs of children and how nutrition can affect growth and development.
It explores challenges parents often face in terms of their children’s diet, in particular fussy eating and the role oral nutritional supplements can play in supporting growth and development in children.
To enrol in this course please visit guilded.guild.org.au.
Please contact Guild Learning and Development on 1800 049 056 or email learninganddevelopment@guild.org.au for more information.
