Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) were more liable to growth impairment as compared with healthy children as result of increased energy demand, endocrine and inadequate dietary intake
OBJECTIVE:
To assess nutritional status, dietary pattern of children with SCD and to determine the relationship between sociodemograghic characteristics & nutritional status of the children.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
A cross sectional study conducted in Basrah center for hereditary blood diseases to evaluate the nutritional status of 60 patients all under 5 years with SCD by anthropometrics measurement, use of WHO growth charts, prestructured questionnaire and assess their dietary intake depending on recommendation of the integrated management of childhood illness.
RESULTS:
The study involved 60 children less than 5 years old with SCD, their mean age 41 ± 14 months, 65% of them had (SS) genotype. 65%of them were suffering from moderate anaemia. The frequency of underweight, stunting, wasting and obesity were 6.7%, 10% 1.7, and1.7% respectively. There was no significant association of growth deficit in patient with SCD and following: gender, genotype, number of painful crisis, number of Blood transfusion in last year, mother education and dietary intake.
CONCLUSION:
There was low frequency of malnutrition in children with SCD in Basra. Growth monitoring and nutritional concealing are needed.
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