Official School of Record Nutrition and Care in Children with Cerebral Palsy
An interdisciplinary field-based course examining advanced nutritional assessment and intervention strategies in pediatric nutrition and metabolic bone disease, using Athens, Greece as a living clinical context.
Offered by the Hellenic Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and Research (HCISR)
School of Record: Arcadia Abroad
Why This Course and Why Now?
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common childhood motor disabilities worldwide — yet the nutritional challenges it presents, from growth impairment and dysphagia to metabolic bone disease and gastrointestinal complications, remain underaddressed in standard health education.
Athens provides a unique clinical and community context: a city where family-centered disability care, nonprofit pediatric support structures, and community-based rehabilitation intersect. This course uses Athens as a living clinical and community laboratory — combining classroom instruction, specialist-led workshops, and supervised site visits to examine how nutrition shapes health, development, and quality of life in children with CP.
3
Credits
Undergraduate academic credits awarded through Arcadia Abroad
27
Days On-Site
Full immersive program in Athens, Greece (21 June – 17 July 2027)
12
Sessions
Structured academic sessions across 3 thematic modules
2
Site Visits
Supervised academic visits to ELEPAP and Chelidoni pediatric cerebral palsy care centers in Athens
1
Day Trip
Field trip to Delphi — Oracle site, Hosios Loukas monastery, honey farm
Learning Outcomes
Guided by expert faculty in clinical nutrition and pediatric health, students develop advanced competencies in nutritional assessment, intervention planning, and family-centered care — through seminars, specialist-led workshops, supervised site visits, and applied community engagement.
Analyze Nutritional & Metabolic Challenges
Examine nutritional and metabolic challenges associated with cerebral palsy in childhood, including growth impairment, malnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies.
Evaluate Feeding Difficulties & GI Complications
Evaluate the impact of dysphagia, gastrointestinal complications, and feeding disorders on nutritional status and quality of life.
Apply Evidence-Based Nutrition Interventions
Apply evidence-based nutrition interventions to support growth, bone health, and development in children with cerebral palsy.
Assess Caregiver Roles & Ethical Considerations
Assess caregiver roles, family-centered care strategies, and ethical considerations in pediatric disability nutrition care.
Interpret Body Composition & Bone Health Indicators
Interpret body composition and bone health indicators in children with motor disabilities, applying appropriate assessment methods and clinical reference standards.
Who Is This Program For?
Introductory coursework in nutrition, public health, biology, or related health sciences is recommended. Students from diverse academic backgrounds are welcome. The course is particularly well-suited for undergraduate students in the following fields:
Nutrition & Dietetics Students
Seeking hands-on clinical exposure to pediatric nutrition, metabolic bone disease, and feeding disorders in a real-world Athens context.
Public Health & Health Sciences
Interested in disability nutrition, community-based rehabilitation, and family-centered care within contemporary Greek health systems.
Study Abroad Participants
Looking to combine rigorous academic coursework with immersive experiential learning, including supervised visits to pediatric cerebral palsy care centers in Athens.
Future Pediatric & Rehabilitation Professionals
Preparing for careers in pediatric nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or community-based disability care.
Curriculum: 3 Modules, 12 Sessions
The course is organized into three thematic modules, moving from the foundations of cerebral palsy nutrition and metabolic challenges, through feeding difficulties and bone health, to applied family-centered care and community synthesis.
Module 1 · Sessions 1–4
Foundations of CP Nutrition
Overview of cerebral palsy and nutritional implications, growth and nutritional risk in CP, energy, protein and micronutrient requirements, dysphagia and feeding difficulties.
Module 2 · Sessions 5–8
Metabolic Health & Bone Disease
Gastrointestinal complications and nutrition management, bone health, calcium and vitamin D metabolism in CP, body composition assessment methods, family-centered and caregiver-focused interventions.
Module 3 · Sessions 9–12
Applied Care & Community Synthesis
Ethical, social, and community-based perspectives, applied case studies and intervention planning, supervised field observation at pediatric CP care centers, final applied project presentations and course synthesis.
Assignments
Assessment is designed to build progressively, from active participation and guided reflection to applied case analysis and a final pediatric nutrition care project.
Participation & Engagement
Active participation in seminars, specialist-led workshops, supervised site visits, and guest lectures, including preparation and class discussion contributions.
Case Study Analysis
Written case analysis applying evidence-based nutrition frameworks to pediatric cerebral palsy scenarios, including growth, feeding, and metabolic challenges.
Reflective Field-Based Assignment
Structured reflection connecting supervised site visit observations with course concepts in pediatric nutrition, family-centered care, and community rehabilitation.
Final Applied Nutrition Care Project
Final applied project integrating course learning, developing a comprehensive nutrition care plan for a child with cerebral palsy, grounded in evidence-based practice.
Program Experience
A rich, multi-format learning environment combining interactive seminars, specialist-led applied workshops, supervised site visits to pediatric cerebral palsy care centers, and structured experiential activities across Athens.
Faculty-Led Seminars
12 structured academic sessions covering cerebral palsy nutrition, metabolic bone disease, dysphagia, body composition, family-centered care, and ethical perspectives.
Specialist-Led Workshops
Applied workshops led by pediatric therapists and clinical nutrition professionals, including calculation workshops, data interpretation labs, and problem-based learning sessions.
Supervised Site Visits
Supervised academic visits to pediatric cerebral palsy care and rehabilitation centers in Athens, including ELEPAP and Chelidoni, with guided field observation logs.
Day Trip: Delphi
Day trip to Delphi — Oracle site and Hosios Loukas monastery honey farm visit, connecting ancient healing traditions with contemporary nutrition science.
Guest Lecture
Guest lecture on pediatric rehabilitation and interdisciplinary care in Greece, delivered by a specialist in the field.
Orientation & Welcome
Arrival, airport pickup, orientation at T16 Athens, Central Market visit (Varvakios & Spice Street), Athens food walk, and welcome dinner on Days 1–2.
Meet the Faculty
Learn from an expert practitioner in pediatric clinical nutrition and metabolic bone disease, embedded in the Greek health and academic landscape.
Theano Talamagka, MSc
Faculty — Clinical Dietitian & PhD Candidate
Licensed Clinical Dietitian–Nutritionist and PhD Candidate with 10+ years of experience in clinical nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and community health. MSc in Metabolic Bone Diseases, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Expert in Mediterranean diet, healthy ageing, and nutrition for vulnerable populations. Teaching experience at IEK Alfa.
Course Details
- Course Code: HCISR_NUTR_230_01012026
- Course Title: Nutrition and Care in Children with Cerebral Palsy
- Subject: Nutrition, Disability Studies, Public Health
- Credits: 3 undergraduate credits
- Contact Hours: 40
- Term: Summer 2027
- Dates: 21 June – 17 July 2027
- Location: Athens, Greece (with day trip to Delphi and supervised site visits to pediatric care centers)
- Format: On-site, field-based
- School of Record: Arcadia Abroad (Arcadia University | The College of Global Studies)
- On-site Provider: HCISR — Hellenic Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and Research
Contact & Apply
This program is offered in partnership with Arcadia Abroad, the official School of Record, to support undergraduate students studying abroad in Athens.
HCISR | ASCLE+ ATHENS EXPERIENCE — SUMMER 2027
Ready to Study Pediatric Nutrition in Athens?
Join an interdisciplinary cohort of students exploring pediatric nutrition, metabolic bone disease, and family-centered care — in one of Europe's most historically rich cities.