Speaker: Brittyn Coleman, MS, RDN/LD, CLT

Course Description

Join Brittyn Coleman, MS, RDN/LD, the Autism Dietitian, as we uncover the long-term nutrition issues associated with selective eaters. Selective eating causes poor nutrient intake, which long-term can contribute to comorbid issues such as nutritional deficiencies, gastrointestinal issues, poor mood and behavior, and may even delay speech development.

The gut is considered our second brain, and whenever it’s not fed appropriately (think of the kiddos exclusively eating “blonde foods”), it can become imbalanced, inflamed, and leaky. If the diet and gut are not addressed, issues such as food sensitivities, behavioral problems, brain fog, and other symptoms may be exacerbated. Certain underlying nutrition issues may also contribute to a child’s narrowed diet, and addressing the root cause is vital to successful feeding therapy.

Together we will discuss nutrition risk factors contributing to these issues as well as red flags to identify in your clients so you feel confident referring out to a dietitian and helping your clients get the best care all around.

Learning Outcomes

The participant will be able to:

1. List long-term health issues associated with picky eating.
2. Describe the cascade of events contributing to nutrient deficiencies, poor gut health, and increased behaviors.
3. Explore possible underlying nutritional reasons why a child may be a selective eater.

Timed Agenda

• 10 min -- Defining a selective eater
• 10 min -- High-risk groups for selective eating
• 15 min -- Long-term health issues associated with picky eating
• 15 min -- The cascade of events contributing to poor nutrient status
• 10 min -- Underlying issues associated with picky eating
• 10 min -- Overview of the gut-brain connection and how diet affects the gut microbiome
• 10 min -- Identifying signs & symptoms of poor nutrient status and when to refer out
• 10 minutes -- Review and conclusions

Content Disclosure: This presentation will focus on treatment methods related to the use of TalkTools® resources. Other similar treatment approaches will receive limited or no coverage during this lecture.

(pending AOTA approval)

see TalkTools ASHA CEU Policy and Process for more information)

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