Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: S7-S8
PDF size: 249.11 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Rationale: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most frequent cause of disability in the infant population, and might place the affected child at increased risk of his/her capacity of feeding by himself/herself, and in time, of malnutrition. Studies on the nutritional status of CP children are scarces in Cuba. Objective: To assess the nutritional status of children with ages between 1 and 5 years that were diagnosed with CP, and are assisted at a hospital rehabilitation service. Study location: Pediatric Rehabilitation Service of the “Julio Díaz González” Rehabilitation National Center (La Habana, Cuba). Study design: Cross-sectional, descriptive. Serie de estudio: Sixty children (Boys: 63.3%; Average age: 2.8 ± 1.5 years; Children with one year of age: 33.3%) diagnosed with, and assisted because of, CP (Espatic forms of CP: 97.0%; Moderate forms of CP: 51.0%). Methods: Anthropometric measurements were obtained from the children for qualifying their nutritional status by means of comparison against the Cuban tables of Height and Weight for sex and age. Size of fat and lean compartments was estimated from midarm skinfolds and circumference. Selected biochemical indicators of the nutritional status were determined. Capacity of the child to feed by himself/herself was assessed, as well as disorders keeping him/her from achieving this. Results: Constipation (78.3 of the study serie), disorders of posture (61.7%), and masticatory and swallowing disorders (61.7%) were the most frequent feeding disorders in the present study serie. In spite of this, 80.0% of the children presented with an adequate Height for age, while 65.0% of them had a weight adequate for age; and 75.0% showed an adequate weight for height. Lean and fat midarm areas were normal in most of the children (67.0% and 48.0% of the size of the study serie, in that order). On the other hand, anemia (52.0%), hypocalcemia (58.0%), hypophosphatemia (62.0%), and hypoalbuminemia (30.0%) were detected in these children. Serum creatinine was diminished in 27.0% of the study serie. Data paucity (implicit in a study serie this size) impeded assessing the influence of CP severity upon behavior of these indicators. Conclusions: Feeding-related disorders show an elevated frequency in CP children. In spite of this, anthropometric measurements were preserved in most of the CP children. However, elevated frequencies of hypophosphatemia, hypocalcaemia and anemia were found in these children. Recommendations: The incorporation of diet assessment methods in order to document the magnitude and quality of diet intakes in CP children is recommended.