Maternal complaints about feeding problems and anthropometric parameters of children with a diagnosis of pediatric feeding disorder

• Published in: Revista CEFAC Vol. 24; no. 1
• Main Authors: Junqueira, Patrícia, Santos, Dyandra Loureiro Caron dos, Cesar, Maria Fernanda Cestari de, Aleanza, Rosana Martins Magagnini, Pereira, Michelle Miranda, Alves, Thais Coelho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: ABRAMO Associação Brasileira de Motricidade Orofacial 2022
• Subjects: REHABILITATION; Pediatrics; Feeding and Eating Disorders of Childhood; Anthropometry; Feeding and Eating Disorders
• ISSN: 1516-1846; 1982-0216; 1982-0216
• DOI: 10.1590/1982-0216/20222411322

ABSTRACT Purpose: to describe the anthropometric parameters of children diagnosed with pediatric feeding disorder by a multiprofessional team. Methods: a retrospective clinical study conducted on 196 children on maternal complaints of feeding difficulties and a diagnosis of pediatric feeding disorder. Children with neurological diseases or having no pediatric feeding disorder diagnosis were excluded from the study. Weight and height data were obtained and parameters such as weight-for-age, length/height-for-age and body mass index for-age were analyzed, according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The two-proportion equality test was used and the level of significance was set at 0.05 (5%) in all analyses. Results: results showed mean (±Standard Deviation) values of 13.09±5.1 for weight (kg), 0.61±15.53 for height (cm) and 15.37±1.56 for body mass index (kg/m²). The results also showed that 87.2% of the children were within the adequate z-score for weight-for-age, 93.4% were within the adequate z-score for length/height-for-age, and that 88.8% had a normal z-score for-age for body mass index. Conclusion: the sample of children diagnosed with pediatric feeding disorder exhibited adequate anthropometric parameters for their age range.