People with SAS have low weight in 22% of cases. This can manifest both before and after birth, with slower-than-expected weight gain. On average, children with large chromosomal deletions have more frequent and severe issues with growth. About half of them are underweight. A minority of them have great difficulty maintaining a minimum weight, even while on tube feeding.
Based on metabolic findings, it has been hypothesised that there may be a lower capacity to utilize glucose as an energy substrate. Further research will have to shed more light on this or other causes of growth problems in SAS.
Management:
It is recommended that growth parameters are measured at each medical visit to evaluate growth.
SAS-specific growth curves have been published Growth in individuals with SATB2-associated syndrome - PubMed
When underweight, it’s important to have other possible causes ruled out by a pediatrician. In case of feeding difficulties, see the above section. A dietician can give valuable dietary advice. When tube feeding is considered, for some a blended diet may have advantages over standard enteral nutrition.
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