[Growth retardation and nutritional status in foster children]

Height deficit in early adulthood following substantiated childhood maltreatment: A birth cohort study

Early life stress including childhood maltreatment has been associated with reduced head circumference and/or brain size, cognitive, and academic deficits in children and adolescents. However, little is known about the effect of childhood maltreatment on height, especially in early adulthood. This study was designed to examine the association between confirmed cases of multiple or subtypes of childhood maltreatment and stunted growth in young adulthood controlling for perinatal and familial confounding factors. A total of 2661 (48.4% female) young adults from the Mater Hospital-University Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) had data on standardised height-for-age score measurement as part of physical assessment at the 21-year follow-up. Prospectively substantiated cases of childhood maltreatment, 0-14 years of age, were linked to the MUSP dataset. Ethical approval was obtained from the Human Ethics Review Committee of The University of Queensland and the Mater Hospital. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the effects of childhood maltreatment on height in young adults. Childhood physical or emotional abuse and neglect were significantly associated with a deficit in height in young adulthood after controlling for perinatal and familial confounders. Multiple incidents of childhood maltreatment also were associated with a deficit in height.

[Children and adolescents in foster care: health problems and guidelines for their health care]

In Spain, between 8,000 and 10,000 children and adolescents enter foster or residential care every year. This article aims to provide a review to increase knowledge of the health problems of minors in foster care.Sixty-five percent of the studies consulted were performed in the USA, 25 % in Spain and 10 % in other developed and industrialized countries. These studies report that a high percentage of these minors present complicated and serious physical, mental, and/or developmental problems. However, no appreciable qualitative differences in the most frequent health problems presented by these minors have been observed and there is general consensus that the high-priority health needs are the provision of preventive and/or therapeutic psychopedagogic, psychiatric, dermatologic, dental, nutritional, ophthalmologic, respiratory and immunization services. Failure to identify and provide early treatment of the health needs of these minors not only adversely affects their quality of life and future physical, emotional and intellectual development, but can also increase their difficulties in adaptation while in foster care and their future social adaptation. Their permanent relationship with the biological or adoptive family when foster care stops could also be jeopardized. Therefore, all children and adolescents in foster care should receive initial health screenings, comprehensive assessments and monitoring of their physical, mental health, and developmental status. We provide guidelines for the healthcare of these minors, which should be of use to healthcare professionals taking care of these children and adolescents while they remain in foster care.