| Nutrition for Children With Congenital Heart Disease |
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Introduction
Children with congenital heart defects may experience poor weight gain and linear growth due to a variety of reasons. Increased work of breathing increases energy requirements, while often decreasing appetite and overall caloric intake. Children who have demonstrated growth failure due to their underlying cardiac illness may need caloric supplementation to promote achievement of "catch-up" weight gain and linear growth.
Appropriate nutritional management for children with congenital heart defects includes:
· encouragement of frequent meals and snacks throughout the day
· encouraging intake of calorically dense foods (foods rich in calories) |
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