Importance of Nutrition and Healthy Eating Habits for SEN children

6th October 2017

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Nutritious food is the most important part of a child’s proper growth and development. However it is also a point of concern for most parents and child care givers. Most kids are fussy eaters, who only tend to like the tasty fried foods. If your child happens to be one of them, then you certainly need to have knowledge on how to develop an eating habit of various taste and textures. Developing eating habits therefore that promote the proper adequate growth is quintessential for caregivers/parents and teachers alike.

If you are a parent with children at home having disabilities or for Special Educators and care-givers who need to provide the correct guidance to the children so as to promote their all-round development and explore their potentials, besides knowing the correct approaches of effective handling, they also need to have an unadulterated knowledge on the requirement of balanced diet for the SEN kids.  As most of the habits and mannerisms that a child picks up during his growing up years, is continued even in his adolescent age, eating habits being no different, hence good eating habits need to be developed in the early childhood period. The requirement of nutrition and a well-balanced diet must be developed from early childhood so that it may be carried forward even later on in their life and affect both their mental and physical health. Also since most of the growth and development take place within 5 to 6 years of age, hence having a well-balanced nutritious diet at this time is of utmost necessity.

Benefits of Health and Nutrition Courses

Apart from consulting with a dietician/paediatrician, it is therefore necessary for the Special Education teachers, caregivers and parents to have a sound knowledge on the dietary requirement for the child. Having a sound knowledge on the various food groups and their nutritional value will ensure that you are able to provide the right food to the child and in the correct amount.

Pursuing courses on Health and Nutrition will therefore acquaint you with the complex relationship between food, health and nutrition, how various mental illnesses may arise due to wrong eating habits, and how creating good dietary habits is absolutely essential. If you are a parent of a child with special needs or a SEN teacher or a teacher managing an inclusive classroom this course will not only provide you with the adequate knowledge but an edge over others.