Background: Reports show that feeding problems in children with cerebral palsy (CP) significantly reduce nutritional intake and affect their nutritional status.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and types of feeding problems and its association with functional severity and nutritional status in children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 169 children with CP aged 1 - 17 years seen at the Neurology clinic of Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia. Gross motor skills were described using Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).Nutritional status was determined and classified based on WHO Child Growth Standards. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.

Results: Feeding problem was seen in 39.1% of the subjects, with spitting out food (57.6%), prolonged feeding time (45.5%) and choking (16.7%) being the most common types. Malnutrition occurred in 37.3% of patients. Feeding problems were significantly associated with functional severity (χ2 = 52.06 and p < 0.001) and proportion of feeding problems increased with increasing functional severity. All the subjects with functional severity level V (100%) had feeding problems. There was no statistically significant association between nutritional status and feeding problems (χ2 = 0.77 and p = 0.38), although the proportion of feeding problems was highest (44.3%) in the underweight subjects.

Conclusion: The prevalence of feeding problem in children with CP is 39.1%. There was no association between feeding problems and nutritional status. Feeding problem was however significantly associated with functional severity. Therefore there is need for routine evaluation for feeding problems in children with CP to prevent complications.

Download full-text PDF

Source

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

feeding problems
40
functional severity
20
feeding
14
children cerebral
12
nutritional status
12
feeding problem
12
problems
10
motor function
8
cerebral palsy
8
problems children
8

Similar Publications

Background: Bed bugs are blood-feeders that rapidly proliferate into large indoor infestations. Their bites can cause allergies, secondary infections and psychological stress, among other problems. Although several tactics for their management have been used, bed bugs continue to spread worldwide wherever humans reside.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents with eating disorders, with particular regard to clinical perfectionism.

Psychiatr Pol

October 2024

Katedra Psychologii Klinicznej i Psychoprofilaktyki, Instytut Psychologii, Uniwersytet Szczeciński.

Eating disorders are a considerable and prevalent problem among adolescents. Due to their significant adverse health consequences, it is of key importance to examine available treatment options and their effects. Despite the shared criteria for eating disorders in adolescents and adults, the diagnostic and therapeutic processes in the former require distinct specialist interventions, including the entire family environment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background/objectives: Feeding and eating disorders (FEDs) constitute an important mental health problem today, especially among youngsters. The Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food (SCOFF) questionnaire was developed 25 years ago and remains the most frequently applied screening tool for FEDs among adults and youngsters. The aim of the present study was to translate and adapt the SCOFF questionnaire to the Greek language, using a tertiary-setting adolescent sample.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

(1) Background: The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) constitutes a public health problem given their high availability and easy accessibility among children and young people and their influence on the development of non-communicable diseases in the long term. In this context, culture and religion may be modulating factors for the consumption of processed food. The aim of this study is to assess the consumption of UPFs in Spanish schoolchildren living in Melilla (North Africa), together with the possible impact of religion on this.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Processed Food Consumption and Sleep Quality in School-Aged Children: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Study.

Nutrients

January 2025

Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing (UICISA: E), Nursing School of Coimbra, Avenida Bissaya Barreto, Polo C, 3046-851 Coimbra, Portugal.

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between processed food consumption and sleep quality among school-aged children.

Methods: Our sample consisted of 137 children, with 52.6% being girls with a mean age of 7.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!