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Feeding problems in Turkish children with down syndrome and parental quality of life: A cross-sectional study
1Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, 06800, Turkey.
Insights
Feeding problems in children with Down syndrome (DS) negatively impact parental quality of life (QoL). This study found a significant correlation between feeding issues and reduced parental QoL, highlighting the need for interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Genetics
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Children with Down syndrome (DS) frequently experience feeding difficulties.
- Feeding problems in DS can adversely affect parental quality of life (QoL).
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for supportive care strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify feeding problems in children with Down syndrome.
- To examine the association between these feeding problems and parental QoL.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 105 parents of children (aged 10-18) with DS in Turkey.
- Data collection via face-to-face interviews using the Screening Tool of Feeding Problems (STEP) and the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36).
- Analysis of feeding problem severity and parental QoL scores.
Main Results:
- Mean STEP scores indicated feeding problems below average across subscales.
- Parents reported higher QoL scores in most SF-36 domains, except for physical and emotional role limitations.
- A significant negative correlation was observed between feeding problem severity (STEP scores) and parental QoL (SF-36 scores).
Conclusions:
- A significant negative correlation exists between feeding problems in children with DS and their parents' QoL.
- Routine feeding assessments using the STEP scale are recommended for children with DS.
- Implementation of nurse-led parent education programs addressing feeding issues is advised.
Background:
Children with Down syndrome (DS) often have feeding problems, which may negatively affect the quality of life (QoL) of their parents. This study aimed to identify feeding problems in children with DS and to examine the relationship between these feeding problems and parental QoL.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 105 parents of children aged 10-18 years with DS in Turkey. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Screening Tool of Feeding Problems (STEP) and the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36).
Results:
This study indicated that the mean STEP scale scores were below the average level across all frequency × severity subscales. Parents' mean scores on the SF-36 QoL scale were above the reference mean (x̄ = 50.00) for the physical functioning, vitality, mental health, social functioning, pain, and general health perception subscales, whereas scores for the physical role limitation and emotional role limitation subscales were below the reference mean. In this study, a moderate negative correlation was found between STEP subscale scores and parents' mean SF-36 subscale scores (p ≤ 0.05).
Conclusions:
In this study, a significant negative correlation was found between the STEP subscale scores and the parents' mean SF-36 subscale scores.
Implications To Practice:
Routine feeding assessments using the STEP scale should be conducted for children with DS, and nurse-led parent education programs addressing feeding problems should be implemented.
