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Arlinda Maloku , Ramush Bejiqi , Aferdita Mustafa , Naim Zeka , Rinor Bejiqi^*✉

1. Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Prishtina, Republic of Kosova.
2. University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, Pediatric Clinic, Prishtina, Kosovo.

Abstract

Nutrition of children with complex congenital heart anomalies, admitted to the clinic, are complicated conditions with a range of symptoms, including faddiness and food refusal, which both result in reduced food intake Our goal was to determine the frequency of feeding issues and the characteristics that predicted them, in children who had open heart surgery during the neonatal and early childhood periods The research was conducted at the Pediatric Clinic, in the Cardiology and Intensive Care Department of the University Clinical Centre of Prishtina. 70 children were included in the study. The children were divided into two groups: the research group which included 40 and the control group with 30 children. The research group included children who underwent one of the forms of the Fontan procedure, while the control group included healthy children. We found that 70% of the children after cardiac surgery intervention had eating issues. At the time of the study, 12 children had subnormal weights and heights, 28 children had refused to eat or lack of appetite and nutrition was a serious issue. In addition, kids with feeding issues typically ate fewer portions than those without eating issues. Individuals who have had repeated heart surgeries and related abnormalities are susceptible to eating problems‎.

Keywords: Nutrition, Children, Complex congenital heart anomalies, Feeding difficulty, Open heart surgery

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