The Down Syndrome Nutrition Handbook : A Guide to Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

Many parents of children with Down syndrome would like to help their child improve nutrition and manage weight, but don't know where to begin. Now, this much-needed book looks at all aspects of nutrition and healthy living for children with Down syndrome, from birth through young adulthood. The author, a mother of a child with Down syndrome and a registered dietitian, encourages parents to start teaching healthy habits early but stresses that it's never too late to start, no matter what age. Based on years of personal and professional experience and supported by the latest medical research and insights from other parents and adults with Down syndrome, chapters cover:

Breast and bottle feeding

Basic nutrition and physiology

Celiac disease

Diabetes

Alternative therapies

Food and school

Weight management

Fitness and exercise

Cooking and menu planning

Education activities

The appendices contain cookbook lists, information on calculating calorie needs, and more. Resource and reading lists round out this practical, comprehensive guide.

With this handbook, parents, dietitians, and therapists will understand the connection between Down syndrome, diet, and nutrition, and be in a better position to guide children toward a healthier future.

Joan E. Guthrie Medlen is a Registered, Licensed Dietitian, in private practice with a focus on promoting healthy lifestyles for people with disabilities and their families. She is involved in a number of professional and parent organizations including the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group and Special Olympics International Health Promotion Program. Ms. Medlen is the editor of the newsletter "Disability Solutions: A Resource for Families and Others Interested in Down Syndrome and Related Disabilities." She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two teenage boys, one of whom has Down syndrome.