Health Assessment of Handicapped Chaildren in an Asylum

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the health status of institutionalized handicapped children, a general health assessment was done in an asylum in Taegu in May 1998. METHODS: Body measurements, including height, weight, head circumference, skin fold thickness and mid-arm circumference, were done with physical examination on 53 children. Blood tests and chest radiography were done, and fat impedance was measured. RESULTS: Of the 53 children, height, weight and head circumference were below the third percentile in 37(69.8%), 35(66%) and 28(52.8%) children, respectively. Body mass index, skin fold thickness and mid-arm circumference were below the third percentiles in 77.3, 50.9% and 56.6% of the children, respectively. Although serum protein levels were within normal range, anemia was detected in 31 children(58.5%). Two children showed interstitial pneumonia on chest radiograms. And HBsAg was detected in three but their liver enzymes were within normal limits. CONCLUSION: Due to the poor nutritional status of handicapped children in the asylum, the prevalence of anemia was high. Evaluation of the nutritional status and hemoglobin measurernent must be included in the routine health assessment of these children.