Abstract:

Objective: The study aimed to compare motor functions and quality of life of children with cerebral palsy (CP), as well as anxiety and depression levels of caregivers according to the feeding types of the children. Methods: The study included children with CP aged between 5-17 years. There were two groups: children with oral feeding (n=19) and children with non-oral feeding (n=16). Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) to classify children according to gross motor function, Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM) to evaluate gross motor functions, and parent-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory to evaluate the quality of life of children were used. Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to measuring caregivers’ anxiety and depression levels. Results: Significant differences were found between groups regarding the GMFCS, GMFM, and parent-reported Pediatric Quality of Life scores of children in favor of children with oral feeding (p<0.05). Depression levels of caregivers of children with non-oral feeding were higher than children with oral feeding (p=0.006). Conclusion: It was concluded that children with CP who fed non-orally had lower motor functional levels and lower quality of life compared to children who fed orally, as well as their caregivers reported higher depression scores.

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