Dear Colleague, 

Our team at the Centre for Global Child Health at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada is conducting a research study on the current resources and services available to support nutrition care in pediatric inpatients in low-resource settings.   

There is a need to address nutritional risk at the time of admission and during an inpatient stay for pediatric patients.  Although the benefits of dedicated staff to screen, assess, and care for nutrition-related morbidities is clear, the status of resources in place to manage these issues in pediatric inpatient settings in low-resource settings is unclear.  To identify available resources and gaps in service, we must first understand current practices related to nutrition care for pediatric inpatients.  With these aims, we have designed a survey to evaluate hospital activities and protocols in terms of nutrition screening, assessment, and care for children during their inpatient stay in hospital. These could include things such as (but not limited to) nutrition screening or assessment by dedicated staff, discussion of nutrition status during clinical rounds, and nutrition therapy.  This survey is intended to be completed by staff members working at hospitals or health units that provide inpatient treatment for pediatric patients. Results from this survey will help us to better evaluate and potentially adapt nutrition care protocols in low-resource hospitals to improve clinical outcomes   

In order to reach frontline workers, we would like to request email addresses of anyone in your directory that may provide direct care to pediatric inpatients in a low-resource setting.  We will use the email addresses to send out invitations to participate in the survey.  The email addresses will not be used for any other purposes and will be kept confidential.   

This study has received REB approval from the Hospital for Sick Children.  If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the study coordinator, Laura Vresk at laura.vresk@sickkids.ca.   

Sincerely, 

Robert Bandsma MD, PhD
Staff Gastroenterologist, Nutritionist

Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

The Hospital for Sick Children

Robert Bandsma MD, PhD
Staff Gastroenterologist, Nutritionist

Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

The Hospital for Sick Children

Associate Professor, Depts of Paediatrics and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto

555 University Avenue

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

M5G 1X8

Phone: 416-813-7654 ext. 309057

Fax: 416-813-4972