Maintaining good nutritional health can be challenging for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDDs. As part of the health care team, registered dietitian nutritionists, or RDNs, identify strategies for mealtime support and create menus of acceptable food options to meet special nutrition needs. Individuals with IDDs may also struggle with other health conditions such as diabetes and obesity. RDNs are skilled in educating patients, family members and caregivers on nutrition needs for these conditions, too. There may be limitations during mealtime for both children and adults including, vision problems, difficulty holding utensils, swallowing problems, digestion problems, food allergies and medications which can also impair nutritional status. Oral health problems, such as dry mouth, cavities, gum infections and oral hygiene can also contribute to feeding difficulties.
RDNs can be tremendous patient advocates, often connecting patients or their family members and caregivers with community resources to help meet food and nutrition needs.

Participants will learn:

• Recognize people with disabilities are more likely to experience more nutrition-related health disparities compared to people without disabilities.
• Understand the health risks associated with poor nutrition and obesity.
• Understand how people with disabilities may experience functional limitations that may impact their ability to perform many tasks essential to proper nutrition.
• Understand why people with disabilities are less likely to utilize traditional preventive health services, such as nutrition programs, because these services may inadequately address the unique physical and environmental barriers that impede behavior change.

Presenters:

Matthew R. Whipple

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Matthew R. Whipple, RDN, LDN grew up in South Louisiana, the heart of Cajun country and struggled with obesity as a child and eating disorders, which led him down a path toward helping others through healthy eating and cooking. He is currently the Registered Dietitian at the Penn School of Dental Medicine, Division of Community Oral Health. He also has a degree in culinary arts and prides himself on being an educator and chef driven to develop and manage programming that creates healthy individuals and communities through food and nutrition access, education and community outreach.