Nourishing Children with Disabilities at Ilsan

Every child deserves to grow up healthy and nourished, but children with disabilities face greater hurdles. Thanks to Holt’s Food Every Day donors, children at the Ilsan Center in Korea are receiving the daily nutrition they need to thrive.

The Holt Ilsan Center sits among rolling green hills and trees, tucked within a bustling urban area of South Korea.

A two-hour commute from the heart of Seoul, the Ilsan Center was built in the early 1960s by Holt International’s founders, Harry and Bertha Holt, to provide a safe, nurturing place for children with disabilities to rise to their fullest potential.

Today, the Ilsan Center is recognized around the world for the specialized care and community it provides and has been emulated in numerous countries.

At Ilsan, children and adults with special needs receive 24-hour care, including regular therapy and medical services for each unique condition. The center serves over 200 residents with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other mental and physical disabilities.

This is a joyful place where children are known and loved. Holidays, birthdays and milestones are celebrated together. Many residents are able to take part in daily activities, including school, vocational training, music therapy, craft workshops and outings.

And thanks to Holt’s Food Every Day donors, children receive nutrition support unique to their needs each day.

Tube Feeding at Ilsan

Under the care of a nutritionist, children are served healthy meals — often including porridge, meat, vegetables or seafood — giving them the energy they need to take part in therapy, school and daily activities.

But for some children living at the Ilsan Center, eating by mouth can be life threatening.

Because of complex medical conditions, some children cannot safely swallow food or liquids. When they try, the food can enter their lungs instead of their stomach — a condition called aspiration. It can cause coughing, vomiting, and in severe cases, sudden and life-threatening complications.

At Ilsan, 20 children rely on tube feeding for this very reason.

“Tube feeding is a vital method for many children who cannot safely eat to receive essential nutrition they need to grow,” says Emily DeLacey, Holt vice president, nutrition and health services.

Specialized formulas, along with feeding tubes, bags and medical supplies, make it possible to nourish children safely and consistently.

“Tube feeding can help to prevent or address a child’s malnutrition to ensure healthy growth while protecting a child from aspirating food into their lungs — which can lead to serious illnesses, malnutrition and even death,” Emily says. “Tube feeding isn’t just about ensuring nutrition. It also provides adequate hydration for a child and a safe method for children to receive essential medication.”

Children at Ilsan receive monthly medical checkups, any needed medical care and therapies to help them reach their full potential. Through feeding tubes, children can receive the nutrients and medications their bodies need — safely.

Nourishing Care for Each Child

During feeding times, caregivers sit beside each child, carefully monitoring the process, connecting with them and ensuring they receive nutrition at a pace their bodies can safely manage.

Without this care, many of these children would struggle to grow, stay healthy or even survive. And while children with complex needs are often the most vulnerable, with the right support, their futures can look very different.

Some children become medically stable and begin building the strength and endurance needed to eat by mouth, using safe positioning, modified textures and supportive feeding techniques. Over time, some transition to a combination of eating by mouth and tube feeding, while others are able to eat independently without the need for tube feeding.

Each child’s journey looks different. But with the support of generous donors, these children are growing stronger, nourished and more stable each day.