An Assessment of the Nutritional Status of Children of the Age Group 5–10 Years Suffering from Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy refers to any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination but aren't progressive, in other words, they do not get worse over time. It results in less cognitive development, poor learning ability, low IQ, impaired growth and development. The children suffering from this disorder are unable to feed themselves due to impairment in their feeding skills. This generally results in malnutrition due to diminished food intake. The present study was carried out on 100 children in the age group of 5–10 years from two schools for disabled children in Shimla. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data by interviewing mothers of the children suffering from cerebral palsy to know about their dietary pattern, problems faced during feeding them. Anthropometric measurements, clinical signs of various deficiencies observed in children were noted down. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between oral-motor dysfunction and their nutritional status. If there is early detection of this disorder, there will be less deteriorative effects on the physical growth and health of these children. There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but supportive treatments, medications, and surgery can help many individuals improve their motor skills and ability to communicate with the world.