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Classification of eating impairments based on eating efficiency in children with cerebral palsy

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Abstract

Eating impairments in children with cerebral palsy (CP) may vary widely from mild to severe. Accurate diagnosis of the severity of eating has been hampered by the lack of a classification system which would permit stratification of this wide range of problems into mild, moderate, and severe. We propose such a classification system based on measures of (1) growth: weight, height, and skinfold thickness and (2) eating skills: eating efficiency and oral-motor skills. One hundred children, 54 boys and 46 girls from 2 to 16 years, who had various degrees of CP and eating impairments, were studied. Classification, treatment effectiveness, as well as the implications for growth monitoring, based on this classification system are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, 3654 Drummond St., H3G 1Y5, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Erika G. Gisel Ph.D., OTR & Elisabet Alphonce M.A.

Authors
  1. Erika G. Gisel Ph.D., OTR
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  2. Elisabet Alphonce M.A.
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Additional information

These studies were supported by a Hearst Foundation grant and in part through the American Occupational Therapy Foundation to EGG, and the Sweden-America Foundation to EA.

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Gisel, E.G., Alphonce, E. Classification of eating impairments based on eating efficiency in children with cerebral palsy. Dysphagia 10, 268–274 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00431421

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