Effective Nutritional Therapy
Learning Objectives
Identify nutritional and metabolic factors that influence respiratory muscle integrity and airway management readiness in critically ill pediatric patients
Explain how underfeeding and overfeeding during critical illness can affect ventilator dependence, oxygen delivery, and intubation or extubation outcomes
Apply principles of early, appropriate enteral nutrition planning to support respiratory function and reduce prolonged reliance on mechanical ventilation
Analyze clinical scenarios in which feeding interruptions, malnutrition, or metabolic stress may increase the risk of intubation failure or delayed extubation
Evaluate ongoing nutritional adequacy as part of multidisciplinary assessment for airway stability, ventilator weaning, and escalation or de‑escalation of respiratory support
Author(s)
Nilesh Mehta, MD
Chief of Critical Care Medicine, Chair of Critical Care Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine | Boston Children's Hospital
Professor of Anaesthesia Critical Care | Harvard Medical School
Traci Wolbrink, MD, MPH
Co-Director, OPENPediatrics; Co-Director, Center for Educational Excellence and Innovation; Program Director, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship; Senior Associate in Critical Care Medicine | Boston Children’s Hospital
Associate Professor of Anaesthesia | Harvard Medical School
Citation
Mehta N, Wolbrink TA. Effective Nutritional Therapy. 8/2013. Online Video. OPENPediatrics. https://learn.openpediatrics.org/learn/course/internal/view/elearning/3082/effective-nutritional-therapy.