Improving Identification of Pediatric Feeding Dysfunction Among Registered Dietitian Nutritionists

All Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) undergo extensive training to develop the ability to improve dietary intake among individuals of all ages. Treating children (0-18 years of age) is often challenging and requires specialized training. One area that is particularly challenging is identifying children that may not be able to eat appropriately to sustain rapid growth and development. An online survey of RDNs that work specifically with children was conducted to better understand how RDNs are identifying and treating children with feeding problems. From the survey we learned that the methods and procedures used by RDNs for identifying and treating children with feeding problems are variable. A review of current literature identified many tools capable of identifying children at risk for feeding problems. One of these tools was chosen and tested in a population of children 0-3 years of age who were clients of an early intervention program. Use of this tool, the Montreal Children’s Hospital Feeding Scale, increased the number of children that were identified as having feeding dysfunction and who received nutrition services. Implementing feeding dysfunction screening into children’s health care settings would improve the quality of care a child receives and help to improve their overall nutrition status

Reducing the Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness in Box Elder County

Targeted efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness in Box Elder County provided education and resources to identify and treat individuals suffering from these issues. Utah State University Extension’s efforts to address mental health reached thousands of individuals and generated new partnerships with county organizations

Implementation of Online Tutoring Program to Increase University Student Information Retention

Online tutoring program, Mastering Nutrition©, was implemented as a required portion of an entry level collegiate nutrition course. The Mastering Nutrition program incorporates effective teaching pedagogies that initiate information transfer and retention. To test the ability of tutoring program to increase student learning outcomes, a set of questions specific to course learning objectives were asked of students in two consecutive semesters. Questions were administered to students in a pretest, in the final exam, and in a posttest 4-6 months after course completion. Repeated measures analysis of variance reported no significant difference for posttest scores when compared to control scores, p=.595. Pretest data compared to posttest data indicated improvement in student outcomes on the final test for students with the lowest preliminary scores with implementation of Mastery©

Overcoming Feeding Difficulties in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This fact sheet discusses different factors that contribute to selective eating in children with ASD and some strategies that may help expand food acceptance. Treatment for feeding problems in children with autism is based on the individual needs and abilities of each child, not all strategies will be successful for every child

Webinars as a Tool for Increasing Awareness of Diabetes Prevention and Management Programs

Stakeholders sought to reduce the burden of preventable diabetes among adults in Utah via a “Food as Medicine” webinar series. The “Food as Medicine” webinar series sought to increase awareness of and enrollment in public diabetes programs. Evaluation results from the webinar series indicated an increase in awareness of diabetes programs and nutrition information needed to improve personal diabetes management