Feeding and Swallowing Disorders and Related Factors in Iranian Children with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are at a heightened risk of developing feeding and swallowing disorders, which Background: influenced by a variety of medical, cultural, psychosocial, and nutritional factors. The prevalence rates of these disorders are widely across different studies, highlighting the complexity and multifaceted nature of these challenges. vary This study aimed to determine the prevalence of feeding and swallowing disorders and to explore the factors Objectives: with the severity of swallowing issues in Iranian children with CP. associated A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 111 Iranian children with CP. The study assessed Methods: and swallowing problems through clinical evaluations and parental reports. Data analysis was performed using IBM feeding version 20, utilizing chi-square and Spearman's correlation coefficient tests. SPSS The study found that feeding and swallowing problems are common among Iranian children with CP, with 79.2% of Results: having feeding disorders and 78.3% experiencing swallowing difficulties. Of particular concern, 40.5% of the children children issues during the pharyngeal phase of swallowing, and 12.6% exhibited unsafe swallowing patterns. There were showed correlations between the severity of swallowing issues and several factors: Malnutrition (P ≤ 0.001), significant reflux disease (GERD) (P = 0.007), motor impairment (P ≤ 0.001), and caregiver concern (P ≤ 0.001). gastroesophageal was found in 60% of the children, yet only 23% were receiving dietary supplements, and a mere 2.7% were using Malnutrition feeding. tube Feeding and swallowing disorders, along with malnutrition, are highly prevalent in Iranian children with CP. The Conclusions: correlation between the severity of swallowing issues and malnutrition underscores the critical need for early, positive interventions to address these challenges. multidisciplinary