Experience of using a thickener based on maltodextrin and xanthan gum in young patient with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Background. Oropharyngeal dysphagia is the main predictor of the development of malnutrition in children with cerebral palsy. Correction of dysphagia is a complex task, one of the solutions is the use of food thickeners. Purposes and tasks. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using a thickener based on maltodextrin and xanthan gum and nutritional support in a young child with cerebral palsy. Materials and methods: a child with an established diagnosis of “cerebral palsy, quadriplegic form, GMFCS V” after a complex evaluation of nutritional status was diagnosed with severe undernutrition and oropharyngeal dysphagia. After obtaining informed parental consent, nutritional support was prescribed with a isocaloric polymeric formula (1 kcal/ml) by siping using a maltodextrin and xanthan gum based thickener. Results. Examination after 2 months of nutritional correction showed an improvement in anthropometric indicators, motor activity (GMFCS V→IV), the absence of clinical manifestations of oropharyngeal dysphagia when using the selected consistency of food. Conclusions. For timely correction of oropharyngeal dysphagia syndrome and prevention of the development of severe malnutrition in children with cerebral palsy with severe motor disorders, the use of a thickener based on maltodextrin and xanthan gum seems promising.