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Nutrition-related growth failure of children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy
V A Stallings1, E B Charney, J C Davies
1Division of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104.
Insights
Children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy experience significant growth failure and poor nutritional status, impacting linear growth. Nutritional status strongly correlates with linear growth deficits in these pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Neurology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Quadriplegic cerebral palsy (CP) often presents challenges in growth and nutritional maintenance.
- Understanding the interplay between nutritional status and physical development is crucial for managing children with CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate growth failure and nutritional status in children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy.
- To determine the relationship between nutritional status indicators and linear growth in this population.
Main Methods:
- Assessed linear growth using upper-arm and lower-leg lengths in 142 children (aged 2-18 years).
- Evaluated nutritional status through bodyweight, triceps skinfold thickness, and subcapsular skinfold thickness.
- Employed two-step regression analyses to correlate nutritional status with linear growth measures.
Main Results:
- Significant reductions in linear growth (upper-arm, lower-leg lengths) were observed.
- Bodyweight and fat stores (triceps, subcapsular skinfolds) were significantly reduced.
- Muscle stores were relatively preserved but still showed a reduction.
- Growth and nutritional deficits were evident even in younger children (2-4 years), except for muscle area.
Conclusions:
- Children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy exhibit significant growth failure and compromised nutritional status.
- Nutritional status is a significant factor influencing linear growth in children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy.
- Early identification and intervention for nutritional deficits are essential for optimizing growth in affected children.
Abstract:
Growth failure and nutritional status were evaluated in 142 children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, aged between two and 18 years. Linear growth was assessed by upper-arm and lower-leg lengths: both means were significantly reduced. Mean bodyweight and triceps skinfold thickness fat stores were reduced to 65 per cent medians and subcapsular skinfold fat stores to 81 per cent median. Muscle stores were the most preserved and reduced to 88 per cent median. Examination of the sample by age-group showed significant reductions in growth and nutrition status indicators, even at two to four years, except for muscle area. To determine the degree to which nutritional status affected linear growth, a set of two-step regression analyses was conducted. The linear growth measures were significantly correlated with the measures of nutritional status.