Common Nutritional Problems in Pre-schoolers course for Medical Doctors

Nutrition plays an important part in a range of conditions seen in early childhood, including allergy, constipation and vomiting. Some nutritional deficiencies (such as iron and vitamin D) are common in western societies, even though unavailability of food is not an issue. These problems may have long-term implications for health. This session explores the symptoms, causes, diagnosis and management of a number of frequently encountered nutrition-related conditions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Explain the management of constipation and what factors might point to a possible underlying cause
• Identify the foods most commonly implicated in food allergy
• Describe the role of allergy testing
• Distinguish between normal and abnormal gastro-oesophageal reflux
• Explain the causes and consequences of iron deficiency
• Describe the effects of vitamin D deficiency

Some common conditions in early life may be modified by changes in feeding or diet, while others arise as a consequence of nutritional deficiencies (surprisingly common even in developed countries).