Quality of life of down syndrome children with gastrointestinal disorders using pediatric quality of life inventoryTM (PedsqlTM) assessment

Abstract

GI disorders affect the quality of children. Children with Down syndrome have a high prevalence of GI disorders. This study aims to determine the life quality of Down syndrome children with GI disorders. This is a cross-sectional study using the PedsQL GI Symptoms Scale questionnaire & the ROME IV Diagnostic Questionnaire for Pediatric Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder for Children & Adolescents. Samples of Down syndrome children were collected in January-May 2022. The analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25. The study samples include 101 Down syndrome children aged 2-18 years. Nonstructural GI disorders consist of those with GERD (8.9%), those with GERD & diarrhea (1%), those with GERD & constipation (1%), those with diarrhea 3%, and those with constipation 18.8%. Structural GI disorders consist of those with duodenal atresia, Hirschsprung's disease, duodenal stenosis with annular pancreas, and anal atresia (1%, 3%,1%, and 4%, respectively). Down syndrome children without GI disorders had a good quality of life, while 51.5% of Down syndrome children with nonstructural GI disorders have a poor quality of life. The quality of life is impaired on the sub-symptom scale of food and drink limits, swallowing trouble, heartburn and reflux, gas and bloating, constipation, blood in bowel movements.