title: Development and cognitive functions in Saudi pre-school children with feeding problems without underlying medical disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to assess development and cognitive functions in relation to growth in Saudi pre-school children with feeding problems (FPs) without underlying medical disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred fifteen pre-school children with FPs (221 with normal growth (FP-N), 62 with failure to thrive (FTT) (FP-FTT), 32 with overweight (FP-OW)) and 100 healthy children (Ref group) underwent in-depth assessment by anthropometric measurements, dietetic history, Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale, Denver Developmental Screening test (DDST) and Stanford Binet fifth edition intelligence scales (SB-5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main FPs detected in Saudi children were picky eating in 85.5% of FP-N group, infantile anorexia and poor eating in more than 90% of FP-FTT group and overeating in 53% of FP-OW group. FPs were not due to evident psychosocial factors but were mostly related to unhealthy feeding behaviours. FP-N children were still having normal growth parameters, but they had significantly lower growth parameters than healthy children. Failed screening with DDST was only more significantly recorded in FP-FTT children than in Ref children (P = 0.04). The overall IQ value by SB-5 was significantly lower in FP-FTT group compared with FP-N group (P = 0.01), in FP-FTT group compared with Ref group (P < 0.001) as well as in FP-OW group compared with Ref group (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persistent FPs resulted in significant negative impact not only on growth status but also on developmental milestones and cognitive functions of pre-school children. Healthy feeding habits are mandatory to prevent serious consequences of FPs on growth and development of Saudi pre-school children.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Rabigh Medical College, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.|Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors: Moustafa A
authors: MA
authors: Hegazi
authors: Department of Psychiatry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.|Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
authors: Mohammad G
authors: MG
authors: Sehlo
authors: Department of Psychiatry, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Albandari
authors: A
authors: Al-Jasir
authors: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.|Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors: Basem S
authors: BS
authors: El-Deek
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012529:Saudi Arabia
keywords: Saudi children; cognitive function; development; feeding problem