NUTRITIONAL-STATUS AND GROWTH OF CHILDREN WITH DIPLEGIC OR HEMIPLEGIC CEREBRAL-PALSY

The growth failure and nutritional status were assessed of 154 children with diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy, aged between two and 17.4 years. Linear growth was significantly reduced compared with norms for healthy children. About 30 per cent of the sample were undernourished, indicated by bodyweight or depleted subcutaneous fat stores at the triceps skinfold site. 8 per cent were overly fat by triceps skinfold and 14 per cent overweight by bodyweight. 23 per cent of the children had stunted growth. Children in the youngest age-group were most at risk for poor nutritional status and delayed growth. These findings suggest that children with diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy are at risk for a variety of abnormalities of growth and nutritional status, and that a growth and nutritional assessment should be conducted periodically so that under- or overnutrition can be corrected when identified.