Feeding children with GI impairment ESPGHAN 2024

Children with gastrointestinal impairments, including those with neurological diseases, congenital heart disease, short bowel syndrome, neuromuscular disorders, and cancer, often face significant nutritional challenges. Addressing these challenges requires careful consideration of nutritional strategies and enteral formula selection to ensure optimal health outcomes for these vulnerable patient populations. In this NNI Symposium at ESPGHAN 2024, experts Prof. Claudio Romano, Prof. Antonella Diamant, and Dr. Graeme O’Connor, detail these conditions, risks for malnutrition, and the various approaches in feeding. Modalities of feeding patients with special nutritional needs, including bolus vs. continuous feeding and enteral nutrition (EN) alone vs EN+Nissen surgery, and comparison of efficacy was also discussed. New developments in the use of EN with real food in clinical practice and the evolution of the trend in EN from home blenderized feed to new commercial formula with real food were also brought to light.