PENGARUH KONSELING DENGAN “FEEDING RULES” TERHADAP STATUS GIZI ANAK DENGAN KESULITAN MAKAN

Abstract

Background: Feeding difficulties are commonly found in community. Feeding difficulties are identified when a child refuse or not capable of receiving variable amount of food. Feeding rules counseling to the parents is an option to help children learning how to overcome their feeding problems. Objective: This study was aimed to identify the difference of nutritional status in children with feeding difficulties before and after delivering feeding rules counseling. Methods: An experimental pre and post test control group design study was conducted from April until July 2012 in Posyandu Tandang and Sendangguwo sub-district Semarang on 20 children of the treatment group and 21 children of the control group. Subjects for this study were children aged 6-24 months. Feeding rules counseling was given to mothers in the treatment group by pediatrician. The differences of ΔWAZ, ΔHAZ and ΔWHZ between groups were compared by independent t-test. Result: Subjects consisted of 56.1% girls, 92.7% had inappropriate feeding practice. After 3 months, the WAZ, HAZ and WHZ score in the control group had not increased significantly. However, treatment group improved their WAZ (p= 0.058), HAZ (p= 0.018), and WHZ (p=0.545) but only HAZ was significantly higher compared to that of the control group. Conclusion: According to HAZ score, there was a difference of nutritional status in children with feeding difficulties before and after feeding rules counseling. Keywords: feeding difficulty, feeding rules counseling, nutritional status