Reported Eating Ability of Young Children With Cerebral Palsy: Is There an Association With Gross Motor Function?

ObjectiveTo examine the association between parent-reported ability of young children with cerebral palsy (CP) to eat different food textures and gross motor functional abilities.DesignProspective, longitudinal, representative cohort study.SettingCommunity and tertiary pediatric hospital settings.ParticipantsChildren (N=170; 110 boys [65%]) were assessed on 396 occasions (range, 1–4 occasions), including 67 at 1 year 6 months (49 boys), 99 at 2 years (66 boys), 111 at 2 years 6 months (71 boys), and 119 at 3 years (64 boys).InterventionsNot applicableMain Outcome MeasuresGross motor function was determined using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Parent-reported eating ability was determined using 4 items of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory. The association between capability to eat food textures and GMFCS level was examined using generalized estimating equations.ResultsThe distribution of GMFCS levels at initial presentation was as follows: I, n=62; II, n=32; III, n=24; IV, n=22; and V, n=30. Reported capability to eat cut-up/chunky and “all textures” of table foods decreased significantly as GMFCS level increased. A decreased capability to eat pureed/blended and ground/lumpy foods compared with GMFCS I was significantly associated with GMFCS levels IV and V only.ConclusionsReported attainment of eating skills was closely associated with GMFCS level in young children with CP across age levels. These results emphasize the need for early oral-motor and feeding screening in young children with CP across gross motor functional abilities.