TY - JOUR
T1 - Improving nutritional status of children with Cerebral palsy
T2 - a qualitative study of caregiver experiences and community-based training in Ghana
AU - Donkor, Claudia Mary
AU - Lee, Jackie
AU - Lelijveld, Natasha
AU - Adams, Melanie
AU - Baltussen, Marjolein Meande
AU - Nyante, Gifty Gyamah
AU - Kerac, Marko
AU - Polack, Sarah
AU - Zuurmond, Maria
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PY - 2019/1
Y1 - 2019/1
N2 - Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood disability worldwide, and evidence shows that children with CP are at an increased risk of malnutrition due to feeding difficulties. This qualitative study explores caregiver experiences of feeding before and after a community-based training program in Ghana. Methods: Thirteen caregivers of children with CP, who were severely undernourished, were interviewed at the start of the training program. Eleven of these were interviewed again after a year of monthly group trainings and home visits, which included guidance on feeding. Four additional caregivers were interviewed at end line. Interviews explored caregivers’ mealtime experiences, as well as a 24-hr dietary recall and a structured feeding observation checklist. Children's nutritional status was assessed by anthropometry. Results: Caregivers found mealtimes stressful due to time demands, messiness, and the pressure of providing enough quality food. They felt that the training program had helped reduced this stress and dietary recall data suggested some improved dietary quality. However, there was neither improvement nor deterioration in anthropometric status of the children. Conclusion: Group trainings were welcomed by caregivers and notably reduced stress around feeding times. However, future work is needed in order to improve anthropometric outcomes, including, but not limited to, greater focus on nutritional requirements during caregiver training interventions. Therapeutic feeding programs must also be better utilized and need to be better equipped to care for this group of children, including deviating from standard admission and treatment protocols.
AB - Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood disability worldwide, and evidence shows that children with CP are at an increased risk of malnutrition due to feeding difficulties. This qualitative study explores caregiver experiences of feeding before and after a community-based training program in Ghana. Methods: Thirteen caregivers of children with CP, who were severely undernourished, were interviewed at the start of the training program. Eleven of these were interviewed again after a year of monthly group trainings and home visits, which included guidance on feeding. Four additional caregivers were interviewed at end line. Interviews explored caregivers’ mealtime experiences, as well as a 24-hr dietary recall and a structured feeding observation checklist. Children's nutritional status was assessed by anthropometry. Results: Caregivers found mealtimes stressful due to time demands, messiness, and the pressure of providing enough quality food. They felt that the training program had helped reduced this stress and dietary recall data suggested some improved dietary quality. However, there was neither improvement nor deterioration in anthropometric status of the children. Conclusion: Group trainings were welcomed by caregivers and notably reduced stress around feeding times. However, future work is needed in order to improve anthropometric outcomes, including, but not limited to, greater focus on nutritional requirements during caregiver training interventions. Therapeutic feeding programs must also be better utilized and need to be better equipped to care for this group of children, including deviating from standard admission and treatment protocols.
KW - Ghana
KW - cerebral palsy
KW - disability
KW - feeding
KW - malnutrition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85056477599&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/fsn3.788
DO - 10.1002/fsn3.788
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85056477599
SN - 2048-7177
VL - 7
SP - 35
EP - 43
JO - Food Science and Nutrition
JF - Food Science and Nutrition
IS - 1
ER -