I know this not only as a special education teacher, but as a mom. I have watched my daughter struggle through a day when she skipped breakfast or didn’t eat the same amount of foods. I have seen students transform after something as simple as a granola bar and a bottle of water in the time between arrival and lunch. Nutrition is not a lifestyle trend for our children. Nutrition is a learning tool. When we understand the connection between food and the brain, we stop asking “What’s different about this behavior?” and we might start asking “What does this child’s body need so that they can be better available for learning?”
Why the Brain Needs Fuel to Learn
A quick Google search can tell anyone that the brain consumes more energy than any other organ in the human body, and nutrition plays a basic role in supporting the brain’s development and its function. Research from 2024 explains that taking the age required amount of micronutrients (such as Vitamin B, iron, foliate, and zinc) can be linked to cognitive performance in school-aged children (Jokisch et al., 2024). Additional nutrients like omega-3s are also needed for brain development and cognitive processing (Jokisch et al., 2024). This research stresses the importance of a nutrient rich diet for growing children. If children have bodies and brains that are low on fuel (from missing a meal or due to gaps in nutrients), their nervous systems struggle to stay regulated.
What teachers see in schools and what parents see at home that may look like inattention, impulsivity, emotional outbursts, and shutdowns might actually be a child’s nervous system signaling distress. What we can do is support consistent, nutrient-rich eating to help stabilize blood sugars, which in turn will support a child’s focus, impulse control, emotional regulation, and stamina for academic tasks that they will be presented with in schools.
The Impact of Nutrition on Sensory Processing and Regulation
Many children, especially those with sensory processing disorders, Autism, or other neurodevelopment diagnoses, already work hard to learn in different environments and to regulate their emotions. Nutrition plays a significant role in how successfully children meet the demands of their day.
Observational studies have linked healthier dietary patterns (eating at regular intervals and decreasing frequencies of highly processed foods) with better school performance and increased cognitive measures of children. This further suggests that overall quality of a child’s diet relates to cognitive outcomes in youth (Routsalainen et. al., 2018). When a child's body receives balanced fuel on a regular basis, their nervous system has a greater capacity to remain regulated and flexible throughout the day. A regulated body allows children to work through challenges that they face throughout the day, from a challenging math activity. to a game of volleyball in gym, all the way to homework at their kitchen table after school.
The Overlooked Role of Hydration
Hydration can be one of the most overlooked, but incredibly impactful dietary factors in academic performance. Many people don’t realize that even mild dehydration can impact attention, memory, processing speed, and overall cognitive control, all of which are foundational components of learning and regulation (Popkin, et al., 2009). Research finds that children under the age of 12 who increase their hydration intake often have gains in their working memory and cognitive flexibility, which suggests that adequate fluid intake can directly support important cognitive functions (Khan et al., 2019, Popkin et al., 2009).
For children, permitting students to keep a water bottle on their desk, and encouraging water and bathroom breaks into classroom routines are two simple strategies that can create improvement in both behavior and cognitive performance.
Supporting Families with Practical and Realistic Strategies
Ensuing that your child eats balanced meals and drinks enough water is tough. I get it. I am working full time, rushing into therapies, and doing all of the housework. Families are busy, mornings are hectic, and the chores pile up. Many children have sensory based food preferences or restricted diets (Dinosaur chicken nuggets are a family favorite at my house). Don’t focus on the whole food pyramid at once. The goal in doing all this does not have to be ideal nutrition.
We can shift one thing at a time, because small changes can be more manageable and lead to long term success. I started with one meal, offering a breakfast with a protein. I try to pairing a carbohydrate with protein for increased energy throughout the day. I encourage water intake to help stabilize my daughter’s blood sugar and promote focus. We buy a new water bottle to motivate her to stay hydrated. We use fresh lemons or something else she likes to add flavor. Small steps can lead to big changes.
How Schools and IEP Teams Can Help
I have been in hundreds of IEP meetings. Nutrition and hydration also deserve some discussion at the IEP table. We should have discussions in our meetings not only about the learner, but the child that we work with. This whole-person approach can help us not only support the academic needs of a child, but the emotional needs as well.
For some students who take medicine, it is very important to talk about how the medicine might affect them. Some medicines are appetite suppressants, while other medications give children a larger appetite. In either case, nutrition is even more important as it can directly impact how the medication is working. We need to have these conversations so that IEP teams can make sure they are doing everything to support the child, especially if medications are new or dosages are changing. The IEP teams need to support the child and make sure that information gets to families so that the families are aware of how medications are impacting the child in school, and how nutrition might be something that should be discussed with medical professionals, to ensure the overall health of the student. IEP teams and medical professionals can work to support the child and make sure the child gets the right help, Introducing nutrition into an IEP conversation is not a judgment, but it should be thought of as a support. This can create consistency between home and school that benefits the whole child, and is a very important reason to bring this conversation into your IEP meetings.
Conclusion
When we as families can support children’s nutrition and hydration, we are not only feeding a their appetite, but we are also helping them grow their brains, strengthen their nervous system, and increase their capacity to learn. As both a teacher and a parent, I have learned that some of the most impactful interventions are often the simplest and easiest to implement. Sometimes the path to learning doesn’t cost a lot, and it doesn’t always involve a new intervention or new textbook. An important part of the path to learning can be inside of a lunchbox and a water bottle.
References
Jokisch, O., Raho, J., & N’Da Konan, M. (2024). A cross-sectional study of the relationship between dietary micronutrient intake, cognition and academic performance among school-aged children. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41305651/ PubMed
Khan, N. A., Westfall, D. R., Jones, A. R., Sinn, M. A., Bottin, J. H., Perrier, E. T., & Hillman, C. H. (2019). A 4-day water intake intervention increases hydration and cognitive flexibility among preadolescent children. The Journal of Nutrition. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31504690/ PubMed
Popkin, B. M., D’Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2009). Hydration and cognitive function in children. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17063927/ PubMed
Ruotsalainen, R., Rantanen, J., Voutilainen, S., & Veijola, R. (2018). Associations between dietary patterns and academic performance in Australian children. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29749001/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Christina Kreml (MA. Ed.) is a dedicated special education teacher with two advanced degrees and a passion for supporting children with disabilities. As a parent to a special needs daughter, Christina brings both professional expertise and personal experience into her advocacy work. She is committed to empowering families, championing the rights of children with disabilities, and helping parents navigate the journey of raising exceptional children. You can connect with her at www.iepclarity.com.
Read the article here.