Problems with and support for the feeding of low-birth-weight infants (Part 2): The actual situation of low-birth-weight infants discharged from neonatal intensive care units

新生児集中治療室（NICU）を退院した低出生体重児の摂食に関する実態を明らかにすることを目的とした．低体重児群としてNICU に入院していた2,500未満の低出生体重児（現在の年齢が２歳～12歳）169名，対照児群として，幼稚園児200名，保育園児170名，小学生165名の保護者を対象に「食べ方が気になる20項目」について質問紙調査を実施した．幼児期においては，低体重児群・対照児群ともに問題が共に多く，低体重児と保育園児・幼稚園児で差が認められたのは【好き嫌い】【食べ方】の２項目のみであった．７歳以上の低体重児群は対照児群より【好き嫌い】，【嚙み方】，【食べ方】などの７項目において問題が多いことが明らかになった．低体重児においては，就学後にも問題が解消しないことが推測されるため，摂食機能に対する長期的なフォローアップの必要性が明らかになった．The objective of this study was to shed light on the actual situation of feeding of low-birth-weight (LBW) infants discharged from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). A questionnaire survey was conducted on the guardians of 169 children (LBW group; currently aged from 2 to 12 years) hospitalized at birth in a NICU for a low birth weight of less than 2,500 g, as well as the guardians of 200 kindergarten pupils, 170 nursery school pupils, and 165 elementary school students (control group). The questionnaire included “20 items related to a concerning eating style.” In early childhood, both the LBW and control groups had many problems and a difference was only seen between the LBW children and nursery school and kindergarten children in two items. Children in the LBW group aged 7 years or older were found to have more problems than control group children in items related to “motivation to eat” and “chewing.” Because the problems of LBW children are assumed to persist even after entering school, long-term follow-up of feeding function was found to be necessary