Optimization of nutritional correction treatment for neurological disorders in children

Abstract

The paper gives the results of a study project at the Infant Neurology Department, which has shown the urgency of nutritional rehabilitation in children aged 3 months to 5 years with infantile cerebral paralysis. Thirty patients were followed up to study the causes of malnutrition, to assess and correct their nutritional status, and to show the efficiency of the measures implemented. A diet corrected by a nutritionist was combined with nonsurgical interventions, such as positioning, a decision on the transition to nasogastric tube feeding, and maternal work. The complementary foods were FrutoNyanya products as the latter are low-immunogenic, cause no allergic reactions, and may be used both in the feeding of high-risk group children and as ingredients of a therapeutic diet for patients with different diseases. This resulted in 305-g weight gain within 7-10 day of hospital stay in those whose underweight averaged 28%. The emotional status of the patients and their caregivers was improved by 2-3 scores on 5-point rating scale. There were improvements in their emotional tone (in 75%), chewing (in 28%), and swallowing (in 35%) and reductions in reflux episodes (in 19%) and stress in the caregivers (in 86%).