Nutritional care of preterm infants from a dietitian‘s perspective

Czech version

Authors: M. Floriánková ^1,2,3
Authors‘ workplace: Oddělení nutričních terapeutů, Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice, Praha ¹; IV. interní klinika VFN a 1. LF UK, Praha ²; Klinika pediatrie a dědičných poruch metabolismu VFN a 1. LF UK, Praha ³
Published in: Čes-slov Neonat 2025; 31 (2): 123-132.
Category: Original Paper

Overview

Preterm infants have specific nutritional needs and an increased risk of nutritional deficiencies as well as complications with nutrient intake and utilization. Providing nutritional care for them is demanding, but when appropriately managed, it plays a crucial role in achieving growth and development comparable to full-term infants. This article summarizes current recommendations for the nutrition of preterm infants, particularly in outpatient care. It provides an overview of guidelines for nutrition before the introduction of complementary feeding, during the complementary feeding period, and presents recommended approaches to address growth failure, the most common nutritional deficiencies, and feeding disorders in early childhood. From a nutritional care perspective, preterm infants represent a high-risk group requiring careful individualized planning and regular monitoring by a multidisciplinary team, including a dietitian.

Keywords:

supplementation – nutrition – feeding – preterm infants – growth failure

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