Determination of Nutritional Status of Children with Special Needs: A Pilot Study

Yıl 2021, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 1, 10 - 20, 01.01.2021

Ülkü Demirci , Penbe Merve Korkmaz , Hayrettin Mutlu

Öz

Psychosocial and abnormal determinants in children and adolescents with special needs can be effective in feeding behavior. In children with special needs, the development of food selection or hypersensitivity observed very often. Studies made with these, children with Down syndrome being obese or overweight prevalence of approximately 33.5% - 43.5% rate, the prevalence of malnutrition in children with cerebral palsy is approximately 22.2% - 78.2% in the rates of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and it has been observed that children are more prone to be obese or overweight when compared to children with normal development. The number of studies in this field in our country is limited due to a variety of factor. Thus eating behaviour of individuals with special needs is not yet fully understood. The aim of our study was to evaluate children with special needs with the Eating Behavior Scale in children. The study sample consisted of 47 boys and 16 girls, ages between 6 and 18, who were clinically and cytogenetically diagnosed with developmental disorders and their legal guardians. The sample covers 6 different diagnostic groups (Down Syndrome, Mental Retardation, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Prader Willi Syndrome, Mentel Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy). Adaptation and validation of the Childhood Eating Behavior Questionnaire, used in our research, made by Yilmaz R, et al which gives the results of subscale score and total scale score. Our study was carried out at a private Integrated Physical Activity Center. Evaluation of research data is done with Spss 25.
The height, weight, and age average of the research participants were by order (133,33 cm ± 18,9)(40,6kg ± 19,49) and (10,71yrs ± 3,319). Furthermore, the average Body Mass Index was (22,17 ± 7,01) which is not within the recommended BMI values for children. There was no significant difference between the total nutritional behavior scores(P=0,155)) when the Eating Behavior Scale sub-scores according to gender and special needs groups were examined, the boys diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy groups had significantly higher Emotional Undernourishment Subscores and Picky Eating subscores compared to other children. No significant difference was found in girls according to their eating subscore and specific requirement type.

In children with special needs, adequate and balanced nutrition is one of the main factors that increase the quality of life and prevents the development of diseases. Eating behaviors may differ according to diagnosis. Especially in children with Cerebral Palsy, emotional undereating and food selectivity should be taken into consideration during the treatment period. Thus diet plans should be adjusted to provide more energy, balance metabolism, compensate for deficiencies and increase digestion. In addition, partial or total enteral/parenteral nutrition treatments should also be taken under consideration in case of malnutrition, poor/unsafe oral intake or elevated needs, to provide adequate growth and development.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Special needs, Nutritional behavior in children, Obesity, Malnutrition

Kaynakça

• 1. Nor, Noor Safiza Mohamad, et al. "Nutritional status of children with autism spectrum disorders, Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome: A Scoping Review." The Open Access Journal of Science and Technology 3 (2015).
• 2. Samarkandy, Manal M., Badreldin A. Mohamed, and Adel A. Al-Hamdan. "Nutritional assessment and obesity in Down syndrome children and their siblings in Saudi Arabia." Saudi medical journal 33.11 (2012): 1216-1221.
• 3. Ptomey, Lauren T., and Wendy Wittenbrook. "Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: nutrition services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and special health care needs." Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 115.4 (2015): 593-608.
• 4. Ziegler, Jane, and Evan Spivack. "Nutritional and dental issues in patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities." The Journal of the American Dental Association 149.4 (2018): 317-321.
• 5. Bandini, Linda G., et al. "Food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorders and typically developing children." The Journal of pediatrics 157.2 (2010): 259-264.
• 6. Cermak, Sharon A., Carol Curtin, and Linda G. Bandini. "Food selectivity and sensory sensitivity in children with autism spectrum disorders." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 110.2 (2010): 238-246.
• 7. Sharp, William G., et al. "Feeding problems and nutrient intake in children with autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis and comprehensive review of the literature." Journal of autism and developmental disorders 43.9 (2013): 2159-2173.
• 8. Herndon, Alison C., et al. "Does nutritional intake differ between children with autism spectrum disorders and children with typical development?." Journal of autism and developmental disorders39.2 (2009): 212.
• 9. Coury, Daniel L., et al. "Gastrointestinal conditions in children with autism spectrum disorder: developing a research agenda." Pediatrics 130.Supplement 2 (2012): S160-S168.
• 10. Saad, Khaled, et al. "Vitamin D status in autism spectrum disorders and the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in autistic children." Nutritional neuroscience 19.8 (2016): 346-351.
• 11. Zimmer, Michelle H., et al. "Food variety as a predictor of nutritional status among children with autism." Journal of autism and developmental disorders 42.4 (2012): 549-556.
• 12. Yasuda, Hiroshi, et al. "Infantile zinc deficiency: association with autism spectrum disorders." Scientific reports 1 (2011): 129.
• 13. Bicer, Ayse Humeyra, and Ayten Aylin Alsaffar. "Body mass index, dietary intake and feeding problems of Turkish children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)." Research in developmental disabilities 34.11 (2013): 3978-3987.
• 14. Stallings, Virginia A., et al. "Nutritional status and growth of children with diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy." Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 35.11 (1993): 997-1006.
• 15. Jevsevar, David S., and Lawrence I. Karlin. "The relationship between preoperative nutritional status and complications after an operation for scoliosis in patients who have cerebral palsy." JBJS 75.6 (1993): 880-884.
• 16. Samson-Fang, Lisa, et al. "Relationship of nutritional status to health and societal participation in children with cerebral palsy." The Journal of pediatrics 141.5 (2002): 637-643.
• 17. Fung, Ellen B., et al. "Feeding dysfunction is associated with poor growth and health status in children with cerebral palsy." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 102.3 (2002): 361-373.
• 18. Liptak, Gregory S., et al. "Health status of children with moderate to severe cerebral palsy." Developmental medicine and child neurology 43.6 (2001): 364-370.
• 19. Dahlseng, Magnus Odin, et al. "Feeding problems, growth and nutritional status in children with cerebral palsy." Acta paediatrica101.1 (2012): 92-98.
• 20. Kuperminc, Michelle N., and Richard D. Stevenson. "Growth and nutrition disorders in children with cerebral palsy." Developmental disabilities research reviews 14.2 (2008): 137-146.
• 21. De Irala-Estevez, J, Groth, M, Johansson, L et al. (2000) A systematic review of socio-economic differences in food habits in Europe: consumption of fruit and vegetables. Eur J Clin Nutr 54, 706–714.CrossRef | OpenURL query | Google Scholar
• 22. World Health Organization (2003) Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. World Health Organization, Geneva
• 23. Fekete, Christine, and Simone Weyers. "Soziale Ungleichheit im Ernährungsverhalten." Bundesgesundheitsblatt-Gesundheitsforschung-Gesundheitsschutz 59.2 (2016): 197-205.
• 24. Pesce, K. A., Wodarski, L. A., & Wang, M. (1989). Nutritional status of institutionalized children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Research in developmental disabilities, 10(1), 33-52.
• 25. Karaağoğlu, N, Şanlıer N, Anne Çocuk Beslenmesi, S 158, Ankara 2019