Now that Violet is one, I have been reading up on nutrition for toddlers with Cystic Fibrosis.
The average toddler consumes anywhere from 1000-1300 calories per day. The toddlers with CF however, require between 1300-1900 calories per day!
That's almost as much as an adult should be eating!!!!
It's been shown that higher body weight appears to be related to better lung function, for whatever reason.
Always snacking
So one of the factors of her nutrition we focus on is extra calories with each meal and snack. The hard part is adding these calories as quickly as you can. With my girls, there is about a 10 minute window they will sit still and actually eat, before they get bored, distracted, full or all of the above! So this means (going against all things I've tried not to do the last 10 years) adding real, salted butter or whole milk to any and everything.
When I make peanut butter and jelly toast I always spread it with butter first then the PB and J.
If Im making macaroni and cheese I use lots of butter and whole milk, even when I heat up a Michelina's pasta I doctor it up.
These girls definitely do not eat like birds!
Luckily Ava is a bean pole and always under the radar for weight as well. So serving both girls the same things has made it easier. However, sometimes I have to try my hardest not to indulge in these fattening, delicious foods!
Coming down the "crazy slide"
Climbing up the tunnel
Full of energy!!
As Ava gets older and her body starts changing she will begin eating like a "normal" kid. But as Violet ages, and becomes more active, her calorie needs will just continue to increase. An interesting thing though is that these kids with CF who eat fatty things grow up to be adults that do not have problems with cholesterol. So they eat and eat and indulge in fatty foods, but their bodies only digest what they need to and the fat doesn't hang around long enough to plug up their arteries. How crazy is that? Lucky for them, I guess when you get it bad in one body system, you get a break in another?!
Always eating...
having a quick snack
making a mess of it
Even snacking on the playground
Even though there is a higher caloric need in Violet's diet, it can not be fulfilled with all "bad foods".
While it would be easy to feed her donuts and big macs all the time (and it would suit her just fine)
the extra fat and calories needs to come somewhat nutritious foods. I am always looking for more ideas, please feel free to leave me any suggestions, but a few I'd like to share a few that have been recommended to us. Some we've tried, some we have not. For any parents of kids with respiratory issues, these snacks may come in handy....
Noodles with Alfredo sauce ( add butter, cheese and even half and half)
Whole milk cheeses (cheddar, Monterrey jack and American)
Crackers with cheese or peanut butter
pancakes or waffles (add butter and syrup)
Scrambled eggs with cheese (made with half and half)
oatmeal with whole milk and butter
mashed potatoes with butter, gravy and sour cream
cut up avocados
hummus and pita
pudding (made with whole milk and cream)
The ritz bitz have been a hit in this house the last two weeks. Connor also loved taco shells pizza which I also make a taco but dont fold it and he calls it pizza. I even just put cheese in one microwave it and roll it up and give it to him as a snack! Also do you guys do alot of dips, like carmel or yogurt for fruit ect?
ReplyDeleteOoh all of those are very good suggestions Audrey, thanks! I never thought about the Ritz crackers. Ava loves the pb ones, I will have to start trying some with Vi!
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