Hi! I've learned that children with Down Syndrome have a lower basal metabolic rate than their non-disabled peers, they burn fewer calories while they are at rest. However, when they are engaged in active exercise, they burn about the same number of calories.  I also found a few tips to help deter them from overeating.

• Compliment the child when he turns down second or third helpings.
• Talk about how foods taste (quality versus quantity).
• Try not to comment on the amount of food eaten by the child’s siblings or peers.
• If the child with Down syndrome is focused on his siblings’ intake, explain that different people need different amounts of food.
• Don’t try to frighten or bribe the child into eating less.
• Encourage physical activity.
• If the child complains often of hunger, ask him to rate hunger on a scale of 1 to 5. Ask him to wait a little longer if he is only a little bit hungry.
• Teach the child about different serving sizes.
• Begin to teach the youngster about nutrition labels and food content.
• Medlen also emphasizes that it’s not appropriate to use food as a reward for good behavior, or for learning a new skill.