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Nutritional status and growth of children with diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy
V A Stallings1, E B Charney, J C Davies
1Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine 19104.
Insights
Children with cerebral palsy often experience growth failure and poor nutritional status. Regular assessments are crucial for managing undernutrition and overnutrition in these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Neurology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts child development.
- Growth and nutritional status are critical concerns in children with CP, particularly those with diplegic or hemiplegic forms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess linear growth and nutritional status in children with diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
- To identify risks associated with growth abnormalities and nutritional status in this population.
Main Methods:
- Study included 154 children aged 2-17.4 years with diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
- Assessed linear growth against healthy child norms.
- Evaluated nutritional status using bodyweight and triceps skinfold measurements.
Main Results:
- Significant growth failure observed compared to healthy children.
- 30% were undernourished, 8% were overly fat (triceps skinfold), and 14% were overweight (bodyweight).
- 23% exhibited stunted growth; younger children were at higher risk for poor nutrition and growth.
Conclusions:
- Children with diplegic/hemiplegic cerebral palsy face risks of diverse growth and nutritional abnormalities.
- Periodic growth and nutritional assessments are recommended for timely intervention of under- or overnutrition.
Abstract:
The growth failure and nutritional status were assessed of 154 children with diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy, aged between two and 17.4 years. Linear growth was significantly reduced compared with norms for healthy children. About 30 per cent of the sample were undernourished, indicated by bodyweight or depleted subcutaneous fat stores at the triceps skinfold site. 8 per cent were overly fat by triceps skinfold and 14 per cent overweight by bodyweight. 23 per cent of the children had stunted growth. Children in the youngest age-group were most at risk for poor nutritional status and delayed growth. These findings suggest that children with diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy are at risk for a variety of abnormalities of growth and nutritional status, and that a growth and nutritional assessment should be conducted periodically so that under- or overnutrition can be corrected when identified.