Nutritional care of the surgical neonate

The surgical neonate is at great risk of developing nutritional deficiencies. However, recent advances in nutritional support, including the development of special elemental diets, infant formulas, nutritional supplements and more suitable additives for parenteral nutrition, have allowed health professionals effectively to prevent the occurrence of malnutrition in sick neonates. Strict monitoring of dietary intake, growth velocity, and biochemical parameters are essential while providing nutritional support. The complication of parenteral nutrition can be reduced by following standard recommendations for preparing solutions, caring for the central and the peripheral catheters, and biochemically monitoring the infant. The organization of a hospital nutrition support service composed of physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and pharmacists is essential in establishing guidelines for the safe delivery of nutritional therapy and in educating hospital personnel and parents on how to best meet the nutritional needs of the surgical neonate.