Assessment of Colonic Motility and Nutrients Intake in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the colonic motility and nutrients intake in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and to compare the results with those of normal children. METHOD: Thirty-eight children with spastic CP were participated in this study. They took the radioopaque markers for 3 successive days. Then, abdominal X-ray was taken on the fourth day. Total and segmental colon transits were estimated by the simplified assessment of a single-film technique by Metcalf et al. The amounts of nutrients intake for 3 days were recorded and nutritional factors were analyzed by ESHA Food Processor. Then, daily intakes of the nutrients were compared with Recommended Dietary Allowance of the Korean Nutrition Society. RESULTS: Total and segmental colon transit time were more than 2 times delayed in children with spastic CP as compared with those of normal controls. Total colon transit time was significantly prolonged in quadriplegic and non-ambulatory children (p<0.05). On the evaluation of daily nutrients intake, most of nutritional factors were inadequate in children with spastic CP. CONCLUSION: The children with spastic CP had the problems in colonic motility and nutritional intake. Also, delayed colon transit time was significantly related with poor mobility. Therefore, early intervention for these problems will be required in spastic CP, especially quadriplegic and non-ambulatory children.