Proclamation NO. 157 declares February as the National Down Syndrome Consciousness Month. This year’s theme: “Ipadama ang pagmamahal at atensyon sa mga People with Down Syndrome”. The message focuses on sharing love and attention to People with Down Syndrome.

One way of showing love and attention is to give importance to their Nutritional needs.

Nutrition for People with Down Syndrome involves the development of feeding skills, prevention of obesity, prevention of nutritional deficiency.

• Aided feeding is required. Training to help the patient control the tongue and keep the mouth closed when eating is needed.
• As the child becomes older, fiber and fluid in the diet may be increased to avoid constipation.
• To reduce dental problems, foods high in sucrose, including sweet, sticky snacks, should be eliminated.
• A soft diet may be necessary because of tooth loss, but the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables should be increased if possible.

Eventually, many People with Down Syndrome make a transition to independent living but they need help in food selection and preparation for maintaining good nutritional status.