Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases · 5 authors, 2 centres
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This cross-sectional survey of 108 children with esophageal atresia found that specific parent-reported feeding difficulties and a higher total number of such difficulties were associated with lower generic health-related quality of life scores.
The analysis used Mann-Whitney U-tests and linear regression. Results showed that having a gastrostomy, using a food infusion pump, needing energy-enriched food, and eating small portions were significantly associated with lower total parent-reported HRQOL scores in both age groups. Long mealtimes and adult mealtime supervision were linked to lower scores in the 8-17 year group. A key finding was that an increased number of feeding difficulties was associated with decreased total HRQOL scores (p<0.01). Limitations include the cross-sectional design, potential under-reporting of child experiences, and that the nine feeding difficulty questions may not capture all EA-specific morbidity. The study implies that feeding difficulties are an important factor impacting HRQOL, particularly physical and social functioning.
