Nutritional and anaemia status of children with Downs syndrome - A tertiary care experience: A tertiary care experience

AbstractProblem consideredMalnutrition occurs on a wide spectrum in children with Down syndrome, with undernutrition in infancy and obesity after adolescence. Nutritional deficiencies are known to occur with malnutrition compounded by multisystem involvement in this syndrome.MethodsThis retrospective study was performed on 48 children with Down syndrome visiting a tertiary care centre in south India, with the aim to analyse patterns of malnutrition and anemia. Anthropometric parameters were plotted on CDC Down syndrome growth chart and WHO growth charts. Complete hemogram was noted and severity of anemia was assessed based on WHO anemia classification.ResultsA high frequency of undernutrition was noted amongst children under 5 with Down syndrome (underweight: 53.3%, stunting: 40%, wasting: 53.3%), amongst adolescents 16.6% had underweight and stunting. 43.3% of children had microcephaly. WHO growth charts overestimated the incidence of stunting, underweight and microcephaly, when compared to CDC Down syndrome growth charts. Overall frequency of anemia in the study was 31.2%, with the majority of children having a microcytic picture. When analysed by age, the frequency was the greatest amongst children under the age of 5 years, affecting 43.7% in children less than 1 year age and 28.6% amongst children between 1 and 5 year age.ConclusionYoung children (<5 year) with Down syndrome had clearly higher propensity towards malnutrition. Overweight and obesity were not noted in this study population. The frequency of anemia was highest amongst infants. This underscores the need for greater health surveillance amongst young children with Down syndrome.