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Published on: January 11, 2016
Early Feeding Abilities in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Parental Report Study
Erin M Wilson1, Katherine C Hustad
1Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Insights
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) and oral-motor involvement experience more feeding difficulties, including delayed solid food introduction and persistent issues. Those without oral-motor involvement show greater resolution of feeding problems over time.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Speech and Language Pathology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) often impacts motor skills, potentially affecting feeding abilities in young children.
- Understanding feeding challenges is crucial for early intervention and improving quality of life for children with CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize feeding skills in young children with cerebral palsy (CP).
- To identify the type and severity of feeding problems in children with CP, differentiating between those with and without oral-motor involvement.
Main Methods:
- Parents of 37 children (11-58 months) with CP completed feeding ability questionnaires.
- Clinical evaluations assessed children for oral-motor involvement.
Main Results:
- Children with CP and oral-motor involvement exhibited significantly more self-feeding difficulties, coughing/choking, and later introduction to solid foods.
- Both groups showed similarities in tube feeding history, bottle feeding, solid food issues, adaptive equipment use, meal duration, and gagging.
- Oral-motor involvement was linked to increased need for swallowing evaluations and feeding therapy.
Conclusions:
- While initial feeding difficulties were similar, children with CP without oral-motor involvement showed greater problem resolution.
- Feeding challenges identified early in children with CP and oral-motor involvement tend to persist with development.
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The goals of this study were to 1) describe the feeding skills of young children with cerebral palsy (CP); and 2) elucidate the type and severity of feeding problems for children with and without oral-motor involvement. METHOD: Parents of 37 children (16 females, 21 males) with CP, who ranged in age from 11-58 months (mean age = 41 months), completed questionnaires regarding their child's past and current feeding abilities. Children were also clinically evaluated to determine whether each had evidence of oral-motor involvement. RESULTS: Children with CP and oral-motor involvement had significantly more difficulty with self-feeding, increased frequency of coughing and choking, increased prevalence of swallowing evaluation and feeding therapy, and were introduced to solid food at a later age relative to children with CP who did not have oral-motor involvement. Both groups of children were similar in their history of tube feeding, bottle feeding, difficulty with solid foods, use of adaptive equipment, duration of mealtimes, and presence of choking, coughing, and gagging. CONCLUSIONS: Children with and without oral-motor involvement initially presented with similar feeding difficulties. However, feeding problems appeared to resolve to a greater extent in children without oral-motor involvement. The difficulties identified early in life, for children with oral-motor involvement, appeared to persist with development.
