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

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 twoproportion 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.