malnutrition and feeding problems in children with esophageal atresia

Introduction: esophageal atresia (ea) with or without tracheoesophageal fistula is a congenital malformation characterized by the interruption or obstruction of the esophagus. neonates affected by ea may present with cyanosis during breastfeeding, sialorrhea, coughing, and respiratory difficulty. ea requires surgical treatment; otherwise, the condition could become life-threatening. data is scarce regarding the long-term nutritional problems of children with ea. the present study aimed to assess the growth status and nutritional difficulties in children with ea. methods: this retrospective study was conducted on 32 children with ea during 2007-2016. the nutritional status and feeding problems of the patients were assessed using a questionnaire. results: the most common ea-associated complications were esophageal stricture (84.4%), dysphagia (46.9%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (37.5%), and respiratory infections (25%). the majority of the patients had normal growth parameters, and 96.9% experienced at least one complication or feeding problem associated with ea, including the need to drink water to swallow food (25%), coughing while feeding (34.4%), vomiting (12.5%), and abdominal pain (34.4%). however, no significant associations were observed between feeding problems and growth parameters. conclusion: feeding problems are relatively common in children with ea. therefore, nutritional consultations must be provided to these patients in order to prevent and mitigate these problems.