Current Pediatric Research

Background: Cerebral palsy is a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth. Poor growth and malnutrition are important secondary health conditions impacting the health of children with CP.

Objectives: To evaluate the nutritional status of children with CP in general and to assess the relationship between disease complication and malnutrition, the severity of malnutrition and the severity of the disease, in specification.

Results: Out of the 119 studied patients 84.9% were underweight for weight per age while only 2.5% were overweight with the remaining subjects within the normal range, also most of the patients who have delayed growth (81.5%) and feeding difficulty (78.2%) were underweight. These symptoms were found among the studied group; chewing, swallowing and suckling difficulties, aspiration, vomiting, seizures and dental caries. It was observed that malnutrition is more prevalent in CP patients with associated medical complications, in patients suffering from chest infection, aspiration pneumonia and the majority of patients with seizures were under weight, implementing a positive relationship between disease status and nutritional status. Regarding the route of feeding 21% were on NGT feeding, 12% on gastrostomy tube feeding and 58% consumed food orally, additionally more than half were totally dependent on feeding (58.8%) while only 3.4% partially dependent which might have worsened their nutritional/ medical status. Reasons of hospital admission were also studied and 31.1% regular follow up, 23.5% chest infection, 17.6% seizures, 5% pneumonia and 22.7% due to other various reasons such as fever.

Conclusion: Malnutrition is significantly prevalent among CP children in MCH in Almadinah Almunawarah, KSA and more focus has to be paid regarding the nutritional status of these children, furthermore this is considered the first study in Saudi Arabia to examine the relationship between CP and malnutrition. Thus, hospitals that apply the recommended approach derived from this result will be able to improve CP patient life quality and prevent further disease complications.

 

Author(s): Assem A Al-Blowi, Raneem A Al-Mutairi*, Reem M Ghabbany, Ahmed M Manaa, Motaasem M Aloufi, Ghadi K Ternati, Bayan H Al-Raddady, Ahlam Al-Rufai

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