Nutritional Status and Factors Affecting Children with Developmental Disorders: A Survey in Special Education Centers in Northern Vietnam

This study evaluated the nutritional status of 150 children aged 3 to 6 years with developmental disorders, including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), attending six special education centers in Northern Vietnam. The results showed a higher rate of malnutrition, with underweight malnutrition being the most common, accounting for 13.3% of evaluated children, followed by stunting malnutrition at 1.3%, and wasting malnutrition at the lowest rate of 0.7%. Notably, the rate of overweight children is very low, only 0.7%. The study also identified various factors influencing the nutritional status of these children, including oral health problems, difficulty chewing and swallowing, oral-tongue motor coordination disorders, picky eating, and gastrointestinal issues. A concerning finding was the relatively high proportion of children facing challenges related to chewing and swallowing, oral-motor coordination disorders, and selective eating. This underscores the urgency of implementing timely and appropriate intervention strategies. To address these challenges effectively and comprehensively, the study emphasizes the need to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration across the fields of Healthcare, Education, and Nutrition to develop integrated solutions capable of meeting the specific needs of this group of children. The study underscores the need to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration, particularly in Healthcare, Education, and Nutrition, to develop integrated solutions that can effectively meet the specific needs of this group of children.