Background/Aims Nutritional assessment is critical to the healthcare of all children. Children with neurodisability are at an increased risk of feeding difficulties, growth failure and malnutrition. Limitations with measurement of anthropometric measures make nutritional assessment in this population difficult. This study aimed to evaluate the feeding profile and nutritional status of children with cerebral palsy (CP) attending the paediatric neurology clinic of UCH Ibadan over a 3 year period.

Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Children and adolescents with CP attending the paediatric neurology clinic of the University College Hospital were enrolled using the CNSN National CP registry. Nutritional history explored the presence of feeding difficulties while anthropometric parameters assessed included weight, height/length, mid-upper arm circumference, occipito-frontal circumference and tibial length. Nutritional status was defined by weight for age z-scores using the WHO AnthroPlus tool.

Results Two hundred and fifteen (215) children were enrolled. 134 (62.8%) were male, ranging from 3 to 240 months. Eighty seven (40.5%) caregivers reported that their wards were unable to eat and drink efficiently and seventy seven (35.8%) children were unable to feed without choking. Seventy (32.6%) children had normal weight, 32 (14.9%) were moderately underweight, 105 (48.8%) were severely underweight and 8 (3.7%) were overweight. There was a significant relationship between the severity of motor disability and the severity of undernutrition (0.002).

Conclusions Two thirds of children with CP seen at the UCH are undernourished. Presence of severe motor disability is a major risk factor for feeding difficulties and malnutrition in children with CP.

Joy Ibeh
University College Hospital
Nigeria

Amarachi Bayo
University College Hospital
Nigeria

IkeOluwa Lagunju
University College Hospital
Nigeria

Michael Adeyekun
University College Hospital
Nigeria