Fuel for a Healthy Future: Building Strong Habits

We all know food is fuel, and it is so important to start building healthy habits for all children at a young age. This is especially important for individuals with Down syndrome.

People with Down syndrome often struggle with obesity as they get older, and there are many factors that go into that. Some of those include a low metabolic rate, hyperthyroidism, low muscle tone making exercise difficult, sleep issues, and hormones.

Another big factor is nutrition. As parents and caregivers, we are no strangers to extra busy schedules, a lot of travel time to appointments, and food preferences and aversions. That combined with the medical aspects make it really hard to maintain healthy habits.

We are so excited to have Amy Manojlovski (RD, LDN) at GiGi’s Playhouse Deerfield on April 30th to share her knowledge on nutrition and creating healthy habits. Amy has a Bachelor of Science in Health and Sports Studies and has been a Pediatric Dietitian for 26 years now! She works with Illinois Early Intervention and works closely with our very own Jill Rabin (M.S. CCC-SLP/L IBCLC). She will share insights on the importance of key nutrients such as choline, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin D, while also exploring ways to support gastrointestinal health. In addition, she will offer practical, experience-based strategies for creating positive mealtime dynamics that help support nutrition as children grow older and become more selective with food choices. Visit our calendar to see more information and to register today!