[Methodological assessment of nutritional problems as part of a health care initiative for hospitalized children].
A health care initiative has been set up in a French regional hospital to improve the management of children admitted to the pediatric unit. It involves screening these children, aged between 6 months and 5 years, for nutritional problems. Health care professionals are first trained. They then measure and weigh the children according to a predetermined protocol and calculate an indicator (weight/height ratio) using the EPI-INFO computer program. The medical team is notified if a child is found to be over- or underweight and decisions are taken as to whether further investigations will be carried out. The family are interviewed and the child's eating habits are observed. Nutritional advice is given and the child's doctor is informed. This initiative has been planned and analyzed according to recognized good practice in community programs. All the health care professionals involved in the scheme participated during the year of the study. In total, 1,004 children were admitted to the hospital and 964 were included in the study (97. 8%). Of these, 142 children (14.7%) were included after their discharge from the hospital. Sixty-nine children were identified as being over- or underweight, with 25 (2.6%) underweight and 44 (4.6%) overweight. Sixty-five of these children were identified before their discharge from hospital. The notification rate was only 64.5% and the treatment rate was similar. Efficacy was not assessed. This initiative requires the active participation and awareness of the entire health care team. Improvement should be possible with better computer programs, regular data collection and improved efficiency, which is often not the case when dealing with obesity problems.
Schneider
J M
JM
Service de pédiatrie B, hôpital Bel-Air, 1, rue Friscaty, 57100 Thionville, France.
Cao
M M
MM
D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012984:Software