Nutritional assessment and management of the critically ill pediatric patient: A literature review

Abstract

This review is based on the best evidence currently available and defines the guidelines for the nutritional assessment and management of critically ill children. These guidelines include the criteria for detecting malnutrition, whether due to deficit or excess, as well as the recommendations and consensus of experts on the estimation of energy and macronutrients, which can be decisive in preventing both overfeeding and underfeeding. International recommendations on the time of initiation of nutritional support are also indicated so that it is timely, effective and safe. Choice of feeding route according to clinical condition and pathology type in order to reduce the risk of morbi-mortality of these patients are discussed. In general, an increase in scientific research is suggested, in order to have better evidence to design international and local clinical proto-cols for the nutritional management of critically ill pediatric patients.