Protocol for a Scoping Review of Factors That Influence Nutrition- and Mealtime-Related Practices of Caregivers of Children Ages 4–12 Years With Cerebral Palsy in India

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To identify the factors that influence nutrition- and mealtime-related practices for caregivers of children ages 4–12 years with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Methods The proposed scoping review will be guided by the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. Scoping reviews are well-suited to new research areas to address questions that describe the conceptualization of a particular subject area and the scope of the literature. A review protocol will be established in collaboration with a GSU librarian; an exhaustive and comprehensive search will be carried out in the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library, to identify all relevant studies between 1990–2021. Studies will be limited to those pertaining to children with CP ages ≥ 1-year consuming foods orally and those published in English. Two reviewers will independently review the article's title and abstract (phase 1) and full texts (phase 2), include studies that meet the criteria, and conduct data extraction. Discrepancies will be resolved by a third reviewer. The string search for the scoping review will include broad terms ‘nutrition’, ‘mealtime-related practices’, and ‘children with cerebral palsy (4–12 years)’; additional search terms under nutrition will include nutrients, nutritional status, intake, energy, food, beverage, diet, liquid, fluid, semi-solid, malnutrition, stunting, and growth and under ‘mealtime-related practices’ will include feeding, swallowing, eating, drinking, food preparation, cooking, food consistency, food texture, and food type. Results N/A. Abstract is a study protocol abstract as denoted in the abstract title. Conclusions Results from the scoping review will be used to develop a Nutrition and Mealtime Management Questionnaire for caregivers of children ages 4–12 years with CP in India. Funding Sources Lewis Foundation Grant, Georgia State University.