ABSTRACT
Small for gestational age (SGA) infants are more likely to experience neurocognitive impairments compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. This paper reviews recent research on the neurocognitive development of SGA children. SGA can lead to a "brain-sparing effect" due to growth restriction, which may affect cerebral blood flow and brain structure. However, this does not guarantee normal brain development. Restrictive blood flow can result in changes in brain structure, such as reduced total white matter and gray matter volume in various brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, ultimately leading to decreased head circumference. SGA children also exhibit lower scores in all neurocognitive domains, including intelligence, attention, memory, and executive function. This may result in poor academic performance and an increased risk of social, behavioral, and neurological problems, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, visual and hearing impairments, as well as comorbidities like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), autism spectrum disorder(ASD), anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Several risk factors for SGA-related neurocognitive impairments have been identified, including gestational hypertension, abnormal gestational weight, smoking, and catch-up growth. Studies have shown that the best interventions to improve cognitive dysplasia include nutrient supplementation, continued breastfeeding, high-quality education, and appropriate early intervention (responsive parenting) are effective in improving cognitive outcomes for SGA children.
ABSTRACT
【Objective】 To explore the correlation between different feeding styles of caregivers and diet quality of children with nutritional problems, in order to provide reference for making effective feeding guidance and intervention strategy. 【Methods】 From January 2022 to August 2023, 2- to 6-year-old children who had been enrolled in kindergartens or nurseries and their caregivers from the combined outpatient department of Child Healthcare and Nutrition in Shanghai Children′s Hospital were selected into this study.The amount of dinner served and consumed was obtained through the three-day dinner intake survey, and the Chinese Healthy Eating Index (CHEI) was calculated.Feeding styles were divided into four groups through the Caregiver Feeding Style Questionnaire.Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between served and consumed CHEI score.Chi-square test, t-test and ANOVA were used to compare the differences in CHEI score for dinner consumed in children with different feeding styles. 【Results】 1) Totally 133 parent-child pairs were included in this study.There were 68 boys (51.1%) and 65 girls (48.9%), with an average age of (4.6±0.6) years.2) CHEI scores for dinner served was highly correlated with that for dinner consumed (r=0.90, P<0.05).There was statistically significant difference between the CHEI score for dinner served and consumed by authoritative and authoritarian feeding styles (t=2.538, 1.732, P<0.05).3) After adjusting body shape, children in the authoritative feeding style actually completed a significantly higher diet quality CHEI score than those in the authoritarian feeding style (P<0.05).4)Authoritative and indulgent feeding styles had statistical differences in the distribution of children′s body size (χ2=13.587, P=0.035). 【Conclusions】 Parents with authoritarian feeding style and indulgent feeding style have worse control over their children′s dietary completion.Children with authoritative feeding style have higher dietary quality than those with authoritarian feeding style.Children with indulgent feeding style may have a higher proportion of non-low weight than those with authoritative feeding style.Although feeding style could not reverse the outcome of body shape deviation in children with disease, it may have some positive effects.