Malnutrition In Children Signs and Causes

Nutrition is a vital ingredient in the body. With good nutrition, the body will be fresh and we can perform the activity properly. Nutrition must be fulfilled precisely since childhood, because in addition to essential nutrients for growing bodies, it is also important for brain development. To that end, parents must understand well the child's nutritional needs so that children are not malnourished. In addition, parents also need to know what and how it's malnourished.

Sign of malnutrition
malnutrition in children is divided into three.
The first, known as Protein Energy Malnutrition Light. At this stage, Sri explained that there are no specific signs that can be seen clearly. It's just the child's weight only 80 percent of normal weight.
The second, known as Protein Energy Malnutrition Moderate. At this stage, the child's weight only 70 percent of normal weight. In addition, no evidence could be clearly seen is the face becomes pale, and somewhat reddish hair color change.
Third, known as Protein Energy Malnutrition Weight. Signs of malnutrition are weight of the child only reached 60 percent or less of normal body weight. Besides weight, there are some other signs that can be directly seen. Among others are the feet have swollen, red hair and easily removed, then due to lack of vitamin A, the eyes become myopic, corneal dryness, and sometimes ulcers on the cornea, so that the eye can rupture. In addition to the signs or symptoms, there are also other signs, such as diseases such as anemia or the anemia, infection, diarrhea is often the case, crusted skin and thus break out of fluid, as well as cracking in the corners of the mouth.

Causing Malnutrition Factors

 
Malnutrition in children, can occur at the age of Toddlers (Under Five Years). Guidelines to determine child malnutrition is to look at weight and height are less than normal, if the height of the child is not growing, or less than normal, it indicates that malnutrition in children is of long standing. There are several factors that cause malnutrition in children.

First, the distances between the ages of brothers and sisters who are too close to take affect. Thus, the attention of the mother to the brother was taken in the presence of his brother, so the brothers tend to be neglected and not considered food. Therefore, the older brother eventually become malnourished. Toddlers were passive consumers, not to take care of himself, especially to eat.

Second, children who started to walk also susceptible to infection or infected by other diseases.

In addition, the third is due to a less clean environment, so the sickly child easily. Because the sick, the children become malnourished.

Fourth, the lack of knowledge of parents, especially mothers about nutrition. Is the pure malnutrition because of food. The mother should be able to provide enough nutritional content of food. Not necessarily expensive, can also be given food that is cheap, good quality home. Therefore the mother must be smart to pick out food for the children.

Fifth, family socio-economic conditions are difficult. These factors will significantly affect, because if the child is rarely ate, then they will automatically malnutrition. Sixth, in addition to food, child malnutrition could also be due to an inherited disease that forces the child to be treated. For example, heart disease and congenital lung.

Efforts must be made to address the malnutrition problem

When Malnutrition, children will easily once exposed to various diseases, malnourished children, will heal in time. Thus these conditions will also affect the development of child intelligence. Therefore, for children who are malnourished, have made efforts to improve nutrition.

The efforts undertaken include the increase parental knowledge about nutrition, take medication to the child by providing food that can make the child's nutritional status for the better. Thus, to do a good selection of food for the child. Good food is the food quantity and quality is good.
Food with good quantity of food provided is in accordance with the needs of the child. And would be better if giving vitamin and protein through milk. For families who can not afford, can work around this, for example, replacing the milk with the eggs. Then, good quality food is food that contains all the nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, iron, and minerals.