Studies on nutrition in severely neurologically disabled children in an institution

Severe neurological handicaps in children are frequently accompanied by growth retardation. We have studied 13 severely neurologically impaired children in an institution to see if their poor growth was related to a low intake of energy and nutrients, if this was reflected in biochemical nutritional parameters, and to modify their diet according to the results. The investigation showed low dietary intakes of energy and of several of the nutrients, with corresponding low Hb values and serum values of ferritin, selenium and vitamins E and D in some of the children. All the children were initially light for age, with catch-up growth after intervention. We conclude that severely disabled children are at high risk for under- and malnutrition, and that this may partly explain the growth retardation in the study group. To avoid the potential detrimental effects of malnutrition, it is important to aim at providing an optimal diet.