Iowa Department of Education

Meeting Special Dietary Needs in Child Nutrition Programs

Information and Guidance-Presented in two ICN sessions

March 4, 2008, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM

April 8, 2008, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM

Intended participants: Child nutrition programs personnel and partners including and not limited to school food personnel, school nurses, childcare personnel, occupational therapists, school personnel, and others.

Overview
Children with special food and nutrition needs are increasing. Serving these children with special food and nutrition needs presents challenges and rewards. The required food services to meet the children's special food and nutrition needs necessitate personnel know, understand, and provide reasonable accommodations.

Purpose
The purpose of the ICN sessions, Meeting Special Dietary Needs in Child Nutrition Programs, is to provide knowledge and guidance on meeting children's special food requirement. Meeting the food and nutrition needs ensures children with disabilities needing special diets have the same opportunities as other children to receive an education including food service education-related benefits.

Objectives
Upon completion of the two ICNs participants should be able to:

·        Identify federal laws requiring schools to make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities special dietary needs.

·        Describe ways child nutrition programs can comply with the laws.

·        Describe frequent special food and nutrition needs of children with diabetes, food allergies, inborn errors of metabolism, and their associated accommodations.

·        Explain diabetes dietary menu planning accommodations.

·        Discuss the key food and nutrition needs of children with food allergies.

·        Explain ways to prevent exposing children with allergies to the allergens in food and nutrition programs.

·        Identify common inborn metabolism errors, dietary needs, and accommodations.

Schedule
March 4, 2008, 2:00-4:00 PM

2:00     Introduction: Meeting Special Dietary Needs in Child Nutrition Programs

            Legal requirements: Lesson 1

3:00     Children with diabetes: Lesson 2

April 8, 2008, 2:00-4:00 PM

2:00     Children with allergies: Lesson 3

3:00     Children with inborn metabolism errors: Lesson 4

            Summary

Activities
Pre and post tests, Group and individual activities, Fact sheets, Video Clips of children with special dietary needs, Discussion, Scenarios, and Presentations.

Presenters

Jane Heikenen, MS, RD, LD, Consultant, Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition, Health, and Transportation.

Anne Tabor, MPH, RD, LD, Nutrition Supervisor, University of Iowa, Center for Disabilities and Development.

Charlotte Burt, MSN, MA, BSN, RN, Consultant, Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition, Health, and Transportation.

Sessions adapted from the National Food Service Management Institute Resources.

Resources
National Food Service Management Institute. (2006). Handbook for Children with Special Food and Nutrition Needs. University, MS: Author. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from http://www.nfsmi.org/Information/sp_needs_handbk.pdf.

National Food Service Management Institute. (2007). Meeting Children's Special Food and Nutrition Needs in Child Nutrition Programs. University, MS: Author. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from http://www.nfsmi.org/Information/special_food_and_nutrition_needs/index.html.

United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. (2001). Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in the School Nutrition Programs: Guidance for School Food Service Staff. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Guidance/special_dietary_needs.pdf.

Register
Register at Iowa Public TV K-12 Connections: http://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=8567

Continuing Education