Nutritional Problems in Children with Neuromotor Disabilities: an Italian Case Series

Overview

Journal Ital J Pediatr

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2014 Jul 9

PMID 25000975

Citations 9

Authors

Maria Sangermano

Roberta DAniello

Grazia Massa

Raffaele Albano

Pasquale Pisano

Mauro Budetta

Goffredo Scuccimarra

Enrico Papa

Giangennaro Coppola

Pietro Vajro

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Aims: Several neuromotor disorders share exclusive, although often overlooked, nutritional problems. The objective of this study is therefore to delineate the frequency of malnutrition, evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional care, and identify issues needing to be possibly strengthened when caring for these patients into a general pediatrics department.

Patients And Methods: The study included 30 patients, 21 males and 9 females, aged between 2 and 15 years, affected by cerebral palsy, epileptic encephalopathy, and severe psychomotor developmental delay.Nutritional status was assessed by a dietary questionnaire administered to parents to investigate feeding difficulties; 3 days food diary to quantify daily calorie intake; anthropometrical (weight, height/length, body mass index percentiles, plicometry, specific body segments measurement) and blood (blood count, serum iron, albumin, transferrin, calcium, phosphorus) parameters.

Results: More than 44% individuals of the study population was at risk of malnutrition, according to feeding difficulties, progressive depletion of weight, reduced daily calorie intake, reduced albumin and transferrin levels. This occurred despite a massive caregivers commitment, as documented by almost universal parental constant assistance during their long-duration meals.

Conclusions: Our results individuate the nutritional aspect being still a problem in the care of children with severe neuromotor disability.

Citing Articles

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Takezoe T, Murakami K, Fujishiro J, Horikawa M, Kubota M, Kanamori Y J Nutr Sci. 2023; 12:e126.

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Clinical characteristics of children with severe neurologic impairment: A scoping review.

Nelson K, Finlay M, Huang E, Chakravarti V, Feinstein J, Diskin C J Hosp Med. 2022; 18(1):65-77.

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Development and Validation of a New Screening Tool with Non-Invasive Indicators for Assessment of Malnutrition Risk in Hospitalised Children.

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Multi-Organ Dysfunction in Cerebral Palsy.

Allen J, Zareen Z, Doyle S, Whitla L, Afzal Z, Stack M Front Pediatr. 2021; 9:668544.

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ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND FREQUENCY OF COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED TO FEEDING IN PATIENTS WITH SPASTIC QUADRIPLEGIC CEREBRAL PALSY.

Sousa K, Ferreira G, Santos A, Nomelini Q, Minussi L, Rezende E Rev Paul Pediatr. 2020; 38:e2018410.

PMID: 32401853 PMC: 7219035. DOI: 10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018410.

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