Feeding and Swallowing Disorders and Related Factors in Iranian Children with Cerebral Palsy

Background: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are at a heightened risk of developing feeding and swallowing disorders, which are influenced by a variety of medical, cultural, psychosocial, and nutritional factors. The prevalence rates of these disorders vary widely across different studies, highlighting the complexity and multifaceted nature of these challenges. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of feeding and swallowing disorders and to explore the factors associated with the severity of swallowing issues in Iranian children with CP. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 111 Iranian children with CP. The study assessed feeding and swallowing problems through clinical evaluations and parental reports. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 20, utilizing chi-square and Spearman's correlation coefficient tests. Results: The study found that feeding and swallowing problems are common among Iranian children with CP, with 79.2% of children having feeding disorders and 78.3% experiencing swallowing difficulties. Of particular concern, 40.5% of the children showed issues during the pharyngeal phase of swallowing, and 12.6% exhibited unsafe swallowing patterns. There were significant correlations between the severity of swallowing issues and several factors: Malnutrition (P ≤ 0.001), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (P = 0.007), motor impairment (P ≤ 0.001), and caregiver concern (P ≤ 0.001). Malnutrition was found in 60% of the children, yet only 23% were receiving dietary supplements, and a mere 2.7% were using tube feeding. Conclusions: Feeding and swallowing disorders, along with malnutrition, are highly prevalent in Iranian children with CP. The positive correlation between the severity of swallowing issues and malnutrition underscores the critical need for early, multidisciplinary interventions to address these challenges.