Prevalence And Factors Associated With Cleft Lip And Palate Infants’ Failure To Thrive After Nutritional Rehabilitation At Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital Entebbe.

Abstract

Background; Cleft palate and/or cleft lip (CP+/-L) are among the most common congenital anomalies, with an incidence of 1/1000 live births globally and 0.73/1000 live births in Uganda. Study objectives: the main objective was to assess the prevalence and associated factors in CLP infants‟ failure to thrive after nutritional rehabilitation at CoRSU hospital Wakiso district with specific objectives being caregiver, infant and health facility factors associated with failure to thrive.

Methods: The researcher used an analytical cross sectional study design employing both qualitative and quantitative data collections approaches. Frequency distribution of the variables was presented using percentage, chi-square test was used to assess the level of association at 95% level of confidence, and the results were triangulated using qualitative findings.

Results: The study found that the prevalence of CLP infants‟ failure to thrive was very high (95%) among infants after nutrition rehabilitation. However, higher prevalence was observed among infants whose caregivers were housewives (57.1%), low and middle monthly income earners (85.8%), those who were rural residents, (57.1%), children who had had infections (p=0.023) and, those able to feed with bottles (97.6%).

Conclusions: A relatively close association was observed between caregiver factors and failure to thrive among CLP infants invarying proportions whereby caregivers‟ knowledge on feeding, poor attitudes towards feeding CLP infants, had higher proportions; while being a housewife and having low level of income; and residence in rural areas were other barriers. Infant factors associated with CLP infant‟s failure to thrive were absence of suckling and bottle-feeding ability, having oropharyngeal dysphagia and having recurring infections.

Recommendations: CoRSU management to include family counselling, income generating activities and home visits or free telephone contacts for caregivers into their interventions; should avail recordings of the health information in the local languages. Min of Healthshould establish nutrition rehabilitation units in all the regional referral hospitals. Early assessment and prompt treatment of infection should continue to be priority.