Authors :
Alexandra Laliberté, RD, MSc – McGill University
Lyna Siafa, MDCM – University of Manitoba
Arij Soufi, MDCM – McGill University
Christelle Dassi, PhD – Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Sophie Russ-Hall, BSc, MD (candidate) – University of Melbourne
Ingrid Scheffer, MBBS, PhD – University of Melbourne
Presenting Author: Kenneth Myers, MD, PhD, FRCPC – Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Rationale:
Dravet syndrome is an infantile onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathy involving febrile and afebrile seizures, with onset typically around age 6 months. While pharmacoresistant seizures are a major concern for people with Dravet syndrome and their families, the clinical significance of comorbidities is increasingly recognized. Challenges with feeding have been reported by caregivers which may affect quality of life for both the individual and their family; however, the precise nature of eating habits and feeding behaviors in people with Dravet syndrome has not been thoroughly examined.Methods:
Patients diagnosed with Dravet syndrome were recruited, as well as a control group composed of siblings of patients with epilepsy. Food Preference Questionnaire and Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire were completed by caregivers along with two open-ended questions regarding eating challenges. Results:
Seventy-eight participants (45 with Dravet syndrome and 33 controls) were included. Compared to controls, mean scores for food preference were lower for fruits (p = 0.000099), meats and fish (p = 0.00094) and snacks (p = 0.000027) in Dravet syndrome. People with Dravet syndrome also had less emotional overeating (p = 0.0085) and food enjoyment (p = 0.0012), but more slowness in eating (p = 0.00021) and food fussiness (p = 0.0064). In a subgroup analysis of only pediatric patients, similar results were observed for both food preferences and eating habits. In qualitative data, caregivers most commonly reported difficulties with fixation on specific foods.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates specific food preferences and challenging eating behaviors in individuals with Dravet syndrome. These data provide potential avenues for nutritional interventions and behavioral therapies to increase the quality of life of these individuals and their families.
Funding:
This study was supported by funding from Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Santé and the National Health and Medical Research Council.