Board Certified Pediatric Nutrition Specialist (BCPNS)

The Board Certified Pediatric Nutrition Specialist (BCPNS) credential is awarded to healthcare professionals who demonstrate advanced, evidence-based expertise in pediatric nutrition across all stages of growth and development. This certification is restricted to clinically trained applicants with a background in medical or health-related fields, ensuring alignment with the complexity of pediatric care.

The certification exam assesses core competencies in growth monitoring, infant and child feeding, nutrition support (enteral and parenteral), and the nutritional management of acute and chronic pediatric conditions. Candidates are also evaluated on their ability to conduct pediatric nutrition assessments, manage special populations, and collaborate with caregivers and multidisciplinary teams. The BCPNS designation reflects a high standard of clinical excellence and specialized knowledge in the field of pediatric nutrition.

Exam Outline

Domain 01: Growth and Development in Pediatrics (15%)
Covers normal growth patterns and nutritional requirements from birth through adolescence. Includes growth chart interpretation, growth velocity, and assessment of undernutrition or overnutrition across pediatric age groups.

Domain 02: Infant and Early Childhood Nutrition (15%)
Focuses on human milk composition, breastfeeding support, infant formula types and selection, complementary feeding, and common feeding challenges in infants and toddlers.

Domain 03: Pediatric Nutritional Assessment (15%)
Addresses anthropometric measurements in children, interpretation of pediatric lab values, dietary intake analysis, clinical indicators of nutrient deficiencies, and the identification of pediatric malnutrition.

Domain 04: Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition in Pediatrics (20%)
Covers indications for nutrition support in children, selection and calculation of pediatric formulas, tube feeding protocols, TPN composition, monitoring, and complication management in neonates and children.

Domain 05: Nutrition Management of Pediatric Diseases (20%)
Includes medical nutrition therapy for acute and chronic pediatric conditions such as prematurity, inborn errors of metabolism, food allergies, gastrointestinal disorders, oncology, burns, trauma, and developmental disabilities.

Domain 06: Special Pediatric Populations and Situations (10%)
Focuses on nutritional care in pediatric surgery, critical care, palliative care, eating disorders, and the role of nutrition in neurodevelopmental and behavioral conditions.

Domain 07: Ethics, Parental Counseling, and Interdisciplinary Practice (5%)
Addresses communication with caregivers, ethical feeding decisions, shared decision-making in complex cases, and collaborative care within pediatric healthcare teams.

Recommended Resources

Recommended Core Texts:

The A.S.P.E.N. Pediatric Nutrition Support Core Curriculum, 2nd Edition
Edited by Mark R. Corkins – American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN)
This authoritative text provides a structured, evidence-based approach to pediatric nutrition support. It includes chapters on physiology, age-specific nutrition, disease-related nutrition therapy, and practical implementation of enteral and parenteral nutrition in children.
Nutrition in Pediatrics: Basic Science and Clinical Applications, 5th Edition
Edited by Christopher Duggan, John B. Watkins, and W. Allan Walker – PMPH-USA
A comprehensive clinical reference that integrates nutritional science with pediatric disease states, offering in-depth guidance on nutritional needs from infancy through adolescence.
Krause’s Food & the Nutrition Care Process, 15th Edition
By L. Kathleen Mahan and Janice L. Raymond – Elsevier
Widely used for nutrition education, this textbook includes pediatric-specific chapters on growth, feeding, and disease-focused nutrition interventions.

Supplemental Resources:

Manual of Pediatric Nutrition, 5th Edition
Edited by Kendrin R. Sonneville and Christopher P. Duggan – Jones & Bartlett Learning
A practical handbook for pediatric nutrition screening, assessment, and management in clinical settings, ideal for day-to-day practice.
Pediatric Nutrition Handbook, 7th Edition
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
A classic reference covering nutrition across pediatric life stages with guidance on feeding practices, growth, and specialized conditions.
ASPEN Clinical Guidelines: Nutrition Support in Neonates and Pediatrics
American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Evidence-based clinical guidelines for the initiation, administration, and monitoring of nutrition support in pediatric populations.