There are now convincing data for adequate nutrition as an important factor affecting the short- and long-term quality of life of those that survive the neonatal period. Nutrition not only contributes to recovery from neonatal disease and early discharge from the hospital, but also provides the substrates necessary for early brain growth, thus affecting neurodevelopment in later life.

The achievement of appropriate growth is not an easy task considering the special needs of the premature infants as a result of immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract, difficulties in metabolic adaptations, and the concomitant neonatal medical disease conditions. Thus, the only way to define ‘optimal’ in practice is by first establishing nutritional goals that will guide our nutritional prescription of high-risk neonates. Major progress has been achieved in our understanding and meeting their nutrient needs, but a great variability of neonatal nutritional support exists in clinical practice around the world, within countries, and even between different physicians working in the same unit.

Learn the deeper insights of nutrient requirements and the practice of enteral and parenteral nutrition of preterm neonate.

Target Participants: Clinical Dietetics, Dieticians, Nutritionist, Registered Nurse, Pediatrics, Neonatology and Health Educators