The Pattern of Malnutrition in Cerebral Palsy and Relating Factors

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to characterize the nutritional status, the status of growth and the relation to various factors in cerebral palsy. METHOD: Forty patients with cerebral palsy (20 quadriplegia, 20 diplegia) were investigated. Information was obtained from medical record, clinical measure and anthropometric measure (weight for height, triceps skinfolds thickness per age, height for age). Values of weight for height or triceps skinfold below the 2.5 percentile were defined as "undernutrition", values of height for age below the 2.5 percentile were defined as "growth retardation". Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) at the 12 months old and at the examined time, oromotor score, pattern of defecation, duration of gait per day of patients were interviewed from caregivers. Spasticity was measured by using Modified Ashworth's scale. RESULTS: Eleven children (27.5%) were in undernutrition state and 9 (22.5%) growth retardation. Oromotor dysfunction was positive in 62.5% and constipation in 30%. Less gait time, more severe oromotor dysfunction and fine motor delay in DDST and more quadriplegic type (p<0.05) were found in undernutrition group and no significant difference of spasticity and constipation. With logistic regression, quadriplegic type is the only significant factor to undernutrition. CONCLUSION: Undernutrition is common in cerebral palsy and quadriplegic type is significantly related to undernutrition.