Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: September | Volume: 8 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 215-224
Nutritional Status of Children with Cleft Lip, Cleft Palate and Knowledge of their Mothers at Health Care Centres
Amrita Subramanya Swamy, Geetha Santhosh
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bengaluru
Corresponding Author: Amrita Subramanya Swamy
ABSTRACT
Cleft lip and palate is a congenital anomaly associated with nutritional challenges which has gained its prominence in today’s world. Failure in fusing of the tissues of lip or palate together occur that leads to birth of baby with cleft lip or palate. There is a challenge to meet the nutritional needs in children with cleft lip and palate that lead to feeding complications along with nutritional deficiencies in the growing years. The aim of the study was to assess nutritional status of children with cleft lip and palate. The objectives of the study were to identify the feeding challenges in children with cleft lip and palate and assess nutrition knowledge of mothers at health care centers. Purposive random sampling method was employed to assess 100 children (0- 13 years) with cleft lip and palate at selected hospitals, Bengaluru where the oral facial maxillary surgical corrections were performed. BMI and nutrient intake were assessed using growth charts, 24 hour diet recall method and compared with the recommended dietary allowance with identification of feeding complications. 75% of the population had both cleft lip and palate among which 49 were boys and 26 were girls. Isolated cleft lip and palate was noted only in 10 children among both genders. There were nutritional challenges during feeding with nasal regurgitation being one of the most common complications. A positive correlation was seen between nutrition knowledge and feeding practices (p = 0.006*) with nutrition knowledge having a strong influence on the feeding practices for their children. Cleft information had an impact on the level of nutrition knowledge at significance of 5% level (p = 0.045*); there was a significant interaction effect between surgical details and feeding practices that had an impact on the knowledge level of the mothers (p = 0.09*- significant 10% level). The study concluded that role of nutrition, proper education on nutrition and feeding methods in management of cleft lip and palate are an important factor in growth and development of children with cleft lip and palate.
Key words: Cleft lip and palate, Surgical details, BMI, Knowledge, feeding practices and nutrition *p<0.05 significant