A Survey on Growth and Nutritional Status of Children with Cerebral Palsy in the Northwest Iran

Abstract

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of childhood disability. Children with CP are at risk for growth and nutritional disorders. The current study aimed at evaluating the growth and nutritional status of children with CP and assessing the relationship between the studied variables, clinical presentation, disease severity, and functional level in these patients in Northwest Iran. Methods: In the current cross sectional, descriptive study, 99 outpatient children with CP referring to the rehabilitation clinic of children’s Medical center in Tabriz, Iran, were studied for a 12-month period from June 2015 to June 2016. Demographic variables, CP type, anthropometric measures, and GMFCS (gross motor function classification system) were recorded. The patients’ weight and height were measured, and then, weight-for-age and height-for-age percentiles were calculated based on the percentile charts for all patients. Dietary intake of the children was determined by the 24-hour dietary recalls of 3 nonconsecutive days (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) by asking their parents as reliable reporters. Results: Sixty-four patients had inadequate calorie intake, while 47 and 42 patients had abnormal weight and height percentiles. Quadriplegic and diplegic types CP, compared with the hemiplegic type (P = 0.003 and P = 0.043), and GMFCS III to V, compared with the classes I and II (P = 0.001), had significantly less normal weight percentiles, but there were no significant differences between normal and abnormal height percentiles, based on CP type and GMFCS level. Conclusions: Abnormal growth was significantly common in children with quadriplegic and diplegic CP and high GMFCS level. About 64% of the children had inadequate calorie intake. Nutritional management should be arranged for the undernourished children to promote their nutritional status and improve their growth and functional capacities.