Nutrient support for preschool children with psychomotor disorders

Background. Children with psychomotor disorders are vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies, which significantly complicate their rehabilitation. The purpose of our study was to identify the nutrient deficiencies in preschool children with psychomotor disorders by analyzing their diet, revealing the relationship between the detected nutrient deficiencies, the gender of the children and their psychomotor disorders in order to improve the effectiveness of rehabilitation. Materials and methods. The diet of 53 preschool children with psychomotor disorders was analyzed using the Child’s Eating Behavior questionnaire, followed by analysis with the licensed computer program Dietplan7. Statistical processing was conducted using parametric and correlational analysis. Results. Different violations of eating behavior in children with psychomotor disorders were determined. They included, in particular, the refusal to consume a number of healthy foods, while preferring mainly semi-finished products, fast food, smoked products, rich in salt and sugar, spices. The diet of most examined children was unbalanced in terms of the content of basic nutrients, vitamins and minerals: an excess of proteins, fats and calories, numerous combined vitamin and mineral deficiencies were detected. A reliable correlation was found between the daily consumption of nutrients and neurological pathology that was most significant in subgroups of children with mental retardation. Conclusions. In the food diet of many children with psychomotor disorders, there were unhealthy eating patterns typical of the Western diet. Numerous deficiencies in the daily consumption of basic nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, were found in them, which had a probable correlation with neurological disorders. To improve the effectiveness of the rehabilitation of children with psychomotor disorders, a multidisciplinary approach is advisable with the involvement of a nutritionist for personalized correction of the child’s diet.