Growth status of children in well-baby outpatient clinics and related factors

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the state of growth during follow-up of healthy children and the factors affecting growth. Material and Methods: The patient cards of the infants who were born in 2002 and followed up in the ell-baby outpatient clinic in Gazi University, Medical Faculty regularly for at least 18 months were examined retropectively. Their sociodemographic properties including ages, education levels, occupations of the parents and if the mother was working caretakers and gender, gestational week, birth weight, birht height and mode of nutrition (breastmilk, formula, cow milk, period of feeding, etc.) and growth of the babies (month, percentile) were recorded. Number of siblings, ages of the siblings were also recorded and the children with and without growth problems were compared in terms of these properties. Results: It was found that 290 (39.3%) of 739 children who were followed up continued to grow up in the percentile in which they started (normal growth), 188 (25.4%) lost 2 or more percentiles in any month (growth retardation) and 261 (35.3%) lost less than 2 percentiles (decelerated growth). Deceleration/retardation in growth was observed most commonly in the 9th month. Deceleration in growth was found in the 6th month in 23.6% of the group with deceleration in growth, in the 9th month in 50.2%, in the 12th month in 15.8% and in the 18th month in 3.9%. Growth retardation was found in the 6th month in 35.8% of the group with growth retardation, in the 9th month in 38.0% and in the 18th month in 4.3%. It was found that receiving formula and presence of infection were the main risk factors in terms of deceleration of growth and unemployed mother, the lenght of the total time of breastfeeding and presence of infection were the main risk factors in terms of growth retardation. Conclusions: This study shows the importance of follow-up of growth of children in outpatient clinics for healthy children. It was found that detailed examination and recording of non-organic causes is necessary in addition to investigation of pathological causes of growth retardation. Since it was observed that elimination of the defects determined and educating the family about nutrition and supporting growth had a positive impact on growth retardation, it was concluded that all children should be followed up regularly especially in the first years of life. © 2014 by Turkish Pediatric Association.