ABSTRACT
Good nutrition is vitally important for growth and development, particularly during early childhood. For the seriously ill child or the child with a chronic illness, nutritional support should be considered as a priority. Oral feeds may be supplemented with enteral feeds via a nasogastric tube or gastrostomy, but if the gut cannot be used (e.g. severe inflammatory bowel disease, necrotizing enterocolitis) total parenteral nutrition should be considered.
