Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of the children with cerebral palsy and their caregivers
| Characteristic | Number n = 135 | Normal nutritional state n = 63 (46.7%) | Malnourisheda n = 72 (53.3%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age of child (%) | |||
| ≤5 years | 92 | 46 (50.0) | 46 (50.0) |
| >5 years | 43 | 17 (39.5) | 26 (60.5) |
| Sex of child (%) | |||
| Male | 72 | 34 (47.2) | 38 (52.8) |
| Female | 63 | 29 (46.0) | 34 (54.0) |
| Age of mother at child's birth (%) | |||
| ≤30 years | 107 | 52 (48.6) | 55 (51.4) |
| >30 years | 28 | 11 (39.3) | 17 (60.7) |
| Caregiver's marital status (%) | |||
| Married | 92 | 44 (47.8) | 48 (52.2) |
| Single/widowed/other | 43 | 19 (44.2) | 24 (55.8) |
| Caregiver's educational status (%) | |||
| Has completed primary school | 95 | 48 (50.5) | 47 (49.5) |
| Has not completed primary school | 40 | 15 (37.5) | 25 (62.5) |
| Gestational age at birth (%) | |||
| Full term | 117 | 53 (45.3) | 64 (54.7) |
| Preterm | 18 | 10 (55.6) | 8 (44.4) |
| Place of birth (%) | |||
| Health facility | 127 | 58 (45.7) | 69 (54.3) |
| Home | 8 | 5 (62.5) | 3 (37.5) |
| Admitted to hospital after birth (%) | |||
| Yes | 53 | 23 (43.4) | 30 (56.6) |
| No | 82 | 40 (48.8) | 42 (51.2) |
| Type of cerebral palsy (%) | |||
| Bilateral spastic | 62 | 23 (37.1) | 39 (62.9) |
| Unilateral spastic | 32 | 22 (68.8) | 10 (31.3) |
| Dyskinetic | 17 | 6 (35.3) | 11 (64.7) |
| Ataxic | 13 | 8 (61.5) | 5 (38.5) |
| Unclassifiable | 11 | 4 (36.4) | 7 (63.6) |
| Severity of gross motor function impairment (%) | |||
| Mild | 34 | 23 (67.6) | 11 (32.4) |
| Moderate | 59 | 25 (42.4) | 34 (57.6) |
| Severe | 42 | 15 (35.7) | 27 (64.3) |
| Presence of anaemiab (%) | |||
| Yes | 38 | 13 (34.2) | 25 (65.8) |
| No | 76 | 39 (51.3) | 37 (48.7) |
| Presence of cognitive impairment | |||
| Yes | 102 | 42 (41.2) | 60 (58.8) |
| No | 33 | 21 (63.6) | 12 (36.4) |
| Difficulty feeding in perinatal period (%) | |||
| Yes | 69 | 28 (40.6) | 41 (59.4) |
| No | 66 | 35 (53.0) | 31 (47.0) |
| Feeding ability (%) | |||
| Feeds self | 69 | 39 (56.5) | 30 (43.5) |
| Has to be fed | 66 | 24 (36.4) | 42 (63.6) |
a
Children with extreme values are included in this category.
b
Haemoglobin level determined in 114 children.