Good nutrition is very important for the growth of your child, especially, during the early years. Nutritious food is vital throughout an individual’s life, but it is most critical from the time of conception of the child till the child is two years of age, since pregnancy and early years after birth are very critical for the development of brain and other vital organs. It is important to have a balanced diet which is rich in nutrients such as vitamins, calcium, iron, fats and carbohydrates to ensure overall development of the child.
Malnutrition is the condition when your child does not receive essential nutrients, minerals and calories which help in development of vital organs in adequate quantities. Nutrients are important for your child to lead a disease free and healthy life. Lack of sufficient nutrition can lead to several disorders, both physical and behavioural. Malnutrition and hunger are not the same although the two might be associated. Hunger is felt when the stomach in empty whereas malnutrition is the lack of sufficient nutrients. Malnourished kids can be prone to deficiencies which result in stunted growth and chronic sickness.
Malnutrition is a cause of serious concern globally with more children falling prey to malnourishment each year. The effects of malnutrition can be devastating and far reaching and can cause stunted growth, mental retardation, GI tract infections, anaemia and death. Malnutrition is not only be caused due to lack of nutrients but also due to excessive intake of the same and hence a balanced diet is very important for the child to be nourished and healthy.
Malnutrition is caused by insufficient intake of essential micro-nutrients and the forms of malnourishment are divided into four categories.
As the name suggests, this is a condition where a child does not grow in weight/height in accordance with the age and remains underweight due to wasting, stunting or both. This form of malnourishment is also known as growth failure malnutrition. While the deficiencies in weight can be corrected if the nutrition needs of the child are improved, correcting deficiency in height is difficult.
Also known as chronic malnutrition, the condition of stunting in the child begins before birth due to poor health of the mother during pregnancy leading to abnormal and disproportionate growth in the child. Stunting happens over a long period of time and hence has long lasting consequences. The main reasons behind stunting of the baby are poor breast feeding, insufficient supply of nutrients to the body and continued infections. Stunting is dangerous because it becomes irreversible after a certain age. It, therefore, becomes very important for pregnant women to ensure proper health during the pregnancy and extensive care of the child after birth.
Micronutrient deficiency or malnutrition signifies the lack of essential vitamins such as vitamin A, B, C and D in the body along with shortage of folate, calcium, iodine, zinc and selenium. Micronutrient deficiency is caused by prolonged lack of these nutrients in the body. Each of these nutrients aid in the development and functioning of critical organs in the body and deficiency of the same can lead to poor growth and diseases such as anaemia, poor brain development, impaired thyroid functioning, rickets, weak immunity, nerve degeneration, poor vision and poor bone development.
Wasting or acute malnutrition is the situation of sudden and drastic weight loss and leads to three types of clinical malnutrition:
Correct diagnosis of a malnourished baby and identification of the malnourishment is important so that necessary corrective measures can be taken to prevent long lasting and adverse effects of malnourishment.
Malnutrition can be caused by lack of essential nutrients or by excessive consumption of the same. It is important to have a balanced diet in order to maintain sufficient nutrient levels in the body . Following are the causes which can lead to malnutrition in your child.
Other causes for malnutrition in children under five years include premature birth, excessive vomiting or diarrhoea, heart defects from birth and other long term diseases.
Signs and symptoms of malnutrition in infants and children depend on the kind of nutritional deficiency the child has. Some of the signs and symptoms of malnutrition include:
Timely diagnosis of malnutrition is very important in order to prevent life effecting consequences. Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) is a quick screening tool to identify whether a person is at risk of malnutrition and helps detection of malnutrition in elderly persons. In case of kids, the doctor examines the height and weight of your child and compares it with the ideal weight and height for kids of the same age group.
Diagnostic procedures to determine malnutrition in kids include:
Measurement Of Mid-Upper Arm Diameter: If the circumference of the mid-upper arm is below 110 mm, it is a clear indication of malnutrition in your child.
Blood Tests: Specific blood tests such as blood counts, blood glucose, blood protein or albumin levels and other routine blood tests can diagnose the condition of malnutrition in kids.
Other tests such as thyroid function tests, tests to determine levels of calcium, zinc and vitamins are also recommended by doctors as they help determine condition of malnutrition in kids.
Malnutrition can have long lasting and devastating effects on children if the condition is not diagnosed and treated in time. Following are the consequences of malnutrition in childhood
In order to treat malnutrition it is important to identify the root cause first. Once the root cause is established, the doctor will suggest specific changes to the diet plan to include supplements and correct quantities of food items to rectify under or over nourishment. Many of the adverse effects of malnutrition can be rectified and reversed if action is taken in time.
During the initial stages of malnutrition, proper care and consumption of a balanced and nutrient rich diet at home will help your child recover from the condition. Some home remedies to recover from malnutrition include:
Depending on the severity and cause of malnutrition, the doctor will suggest necessary steps to recover from the condition.
The most common root cause for malnutrition in kids is insufficient intake of nutrients and lack of exercise. For prevention of malnutrition in children, parents must
The diet of the child must include the following nutrients to prevent malnutrition:
Following are the daily nutritional needs of children:
It is a myth that fussy or picky eaters are more likely to face malnutrition. While fussy eating can be tricky, children generally receive sufficient nutrients even if they are fussy eaters and are not particularly keen on following a diet plan. Your child will receive sufficient nutrients as long as a particular group of food is not neglected completely. Parents should ensure a proper mix of healthy foods and limit the consumption of unhealthy and fast food for their children.
Malnutrition in children can be restricted by following simple diet plans and ensuring that eating habits of the child are disciplined and monitored by the parents. In case the child suffers from malnourishment, it is important to root cause the reason and take immediate corrective actions to avoid long lasting and irreversible damage to the child.
Also read: Anaemia In KIds: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment