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Clinical Nutrition, Metabolic Complications, and Organ Function Biomarkers in Newborns and Children with Disabilities

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 1459

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Woman and Child, Buon Consiglio Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Naples, Italy
Interests: clinical nutrition; neonatal resuscitation; breastfeeding; brain development; mechanical ventilation; newborn metabolomics; necrotizing enterocolitis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pediatrics, University Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy
Interests: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Wilson’s disease; eating disorders in adolescents and adults; nutritional strategies in short bowel syndrome management; transitioning young patients to adult healthcare; lipid emulsions and liver health in infants; intestinal pseudo-obstruction and related syndromes; health challenges of migrants with tuberculosis; home enteral nutrition and patient care dynamics; infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Clinical nutrition is a cornerstone in the management of newborns and children with disabilities, profoundly influencing growth, neurocognitive development, and overall quality of life. Neurological, genetic, metabolic disorders, and complications associated with prematurity often compromise feeding skills, gastrointestinal motility, and energy balance. For these reasons, early and comprehensive nutritional assessment, together with tailored interventions, is essential to prevent malnutrition, overweight, and micronutrient deficiencies. The integration of accurate diagnostic methods with a multidisciplinary approach involving pediatricians, nutritionists, gastroenterologists, speech therapists, and physiotherapists enables the design of individualized care pathways. Innovative strategies, including home enteral nutrition, parenteral nutrition, and targeted supplementation, offer further opportunities to optimize clinical outcomes. At the same time, attention to psychosocial factors and structured family support are decisive in ensuring adherence to nutritional programs and continuity of care. This Special Issue, “Clinical Nutrition in Newborns and Children with Disabilities”, aims to explore these challenges and highlight emerging opportunities in clinical practice and research. Despite the limited existing literature, this area is gaining increasing attention and interdisciplinary involvement across neonatology, pediatrics, genetics, neurology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, endocrinology, and rehabilitation medicine. By promoting knowledge exchange and disseminating best practices, this Special Issue seeks to raise awareness of the pivotal role of nutrition in improving both short- and long-term outcomes in this highly vulnerable population.

Dr. Giuseppe De Bernardo
Prof. Dr. Maria Immacolata Spagnuolo
Guest Editors

Maurizio Giordano  E-mail
Guest Editor Assistant
Affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: newborn metabolomic; clinical nutrition; breastfeeding; brain development; parenteral nutrition; enteral nutrition

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Keywords

  • clinical nutrition
  • essential nutrients
  • critical micronutrients
  • critical macronutrients
  • disability
  • newborns
  • children
  • malnutrition
  • enteral nutrition
  • parenteral nutrition
  • parenchymal growth
  • neurocognitive development
  • multidisciplinary care
  • quality of life

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 315 KB  
Article
Investigation of Feeding Problems and Their Associated Factors in Children with Developmental Disabilities in Saudi Arabia
by Walaa Abdullah Mumena, Sara Zaher, Maha Althowebi, Manar Alharbi, Reuof Alharbi, Maram Aloufi, Najlaa Alqurashi, Rana Qadhi, Sawsan Faqeeh, Arwa Alnezari, Ghadi A. Aljohani and Hebah Alawi Kutbi
Nutrients 2026, 18(2), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18020356 - 22 Jan 2026
Viewed by 593
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Children with developmental disabilities (DD) may experience feeding problems that increase their risk of malnourishment. However, data concerning factors linked to feeding problems in children with DD are lacking. The present study aimed to investigate feeding problems and their associated factors in [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Children with developmental disabilities (DD) may experience feeding problems that increase their risk of malnourishment. However, data concerning factors linked to feeding problems in children with DD are lacking. The present study aimed to investigate feeding problems and their associated factors in children with DD who are fed orally. This cross-sectional study included data from 160 children with DD aged 2–18 years, recruited from 9 disability centers and schools located in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A total of 666 envelopes were distributed randomly to children to take home. Caregivers were asked to provide sociodemographic, health, and nutrition information. Feeding problems were assessed using a validated screening tool for eating/feeding problems (STEP-AR), which included 17 items divided into 5 subdomains (Aspiration risk, Food refusal, Food selectivity, Nutrition behaviors, and Skill). Phone interviews were conducted with caregivers within two weeks of data collection for dietary assessment. Results: The most frequently reported feeding problems involved feeding skills and food selectivity, with 39.3% unable to feed themselves, 33.1% showing overeating behavior, and 31.2% exhibiting pica-like behavior. Chewing difficulties (28.7%), limited food intake (25.6%), and swallowing challenges (21.2%) were moderately reported, while aspiration-related problems were less common. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant positive associations between feeding problems and caregiver education level, family income, caregiver’s relationship to the child, and the child’s living arrangement. Dietary intake was not associated with feeding problems. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate a range of feeding problems and key sociodemographic factors associated with feeding problems in children with DD. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions such as behavioral support and caregiver education to effectively address and manage feeding challenges in children. Full article
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13 pages, 1860 KB  
Article
The KLOTHO Birth Cohort: Maternal and Neonatal Vitamin D Status and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at 10 Years
by Spyridon N. Karras, Dimitrios G. Goulis, Maria Kypraiou, Vikentia Harizopoulou, Antonios Vlastos, Marios Anemoulis, Georgios Tzimagiorgis, Maria Dalamaga, Neoklis Georgopoulos, Evanthia Kassi, Georgios Mastorakos, Kali Makedou, Dimitrios Skoutas and Konstantinos G. Michalakis
Nutrients 2026, 18(1), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18010076 - 26 Dec 2025
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Abstract
Background: Maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy has been hypothesized to influence offspring neurodevelopment; however, the evidence remains inconsistent. Methods: We studied 66 mother–child pairs from the KLOTHO cohort with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] measurements at delivery (maternal and umbilical cord). At 10 [...] Read more.
Background: Maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy has been hypothesized to influence offspring neurodevelopment; however, the evidence remains inconsistent. Methods: We studied 66 mother–child pairs from the KLOTHO cohort with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] measurements at delivery (maternal and umbilical cord). At 10 years of age, neurodevelopment was assessed using standardized questionnaires, generating composite z-scores for cognitive (cognitive, communication, motor) and psychosocial (social–sentimental, special interests) domains. Multivariable models were adjusted for sex, maternal body mass index and education, and neonatal birth weight and gestational age. Results: Maternal 25(OH)D deficiency (<50 nmol/L) was not associated with cognitive composite scores (p = 0.77). The psychosocial composite scores showed a non-significant negative trend (p = 0.29). Neonatal deficiency showed no consistent association with cognition (p = 0.99) or psychosocial outcomes (p = 0.30). Exploratory partial correlations suggested a positive association between maternal 25(OH)D and psychosocial development (r = 0.60, p = 0.038, n = 12). Seasonal variation in maternal vitamin D was observed (autumn: 56.0 ± 24.6 vs. winter: 32.0 ± 18.3 nmol/L; p < 0.0001), but did not translate into differences in 10-year outcomes. Conclusions: In this cohort of 66 pairs, perinatal vitamin D status was not a determinant of global cognition at 10 years of age. A potential link with psychosocial development requires replication in larger longitudinal studies. Due to the limited sample size, all findings should be interpreted as exploratory. Full article
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