Nutrition is a very important element in the body. With good nutrition, the body will be fresh and we can do with good activity. Nutrition must be met precisely since were children, because in addition to essential nutrient for the growth of the body, it is also important for brain development. Therefore, parents should understand well the nutritional needs of the child so that the child is not malnourished. Moreover, parents also need to know what and how malnutrition was.
Signs of Child Malnutrition
According to Dr. Sri Kurniati MS, Doctor of Medical Nutritionist Children's Hospital and Maternity, malnutrition in children are divided into three.
√ The first, known as Protein Energy Malnutrition Lightweight.
At this stage, the doctor explained that there are no specific signs that can be seen clearly. However, the weight of the child only reached 80 percent of normal weight.
√ While the second, is Medium At this stage, the child's weight is only 70 percent of normal weight Protein Energy Malnutrition. In addition, there are signs that can be seen clearly is the face becomes pale, and hair color change.
√ Third, Protein Energy Malnutrition Weight.
In this section is divided into two, namely less so, commonly called Marasmus. This marasmus mark on the child's weight is only 60 percent or less of normal weight. Besides marasmus, is no longer referred to as Kwashiorkor. At kwashiorkor, in addition to weight loss, there are some other signs that can be directly visible. Include leg swelling, red hair and easily removed, then because of a lack of vitamin A, the eyes become myopic, corneal drought, and sometimes occurs ulcers on the cornea, so that the eye can rupture.
In addition to signs or symptoms of these, there are also other signs, such as accompanying disease. Comorbid diseases such example is anemia or anemia, infection, diarrhea is often the case, skin crusting and broken so that discharge, and cracked in the corners of the mouth.
~ Factors causing malnutrition Factors could occur at age Toddlers (Under Five Years). Guidelines to determine malnourished children is to look at the height and weight of less than normal, "the doctor said. Doctors also say, if the height of the child is not growing or less than normal, it indicates that malnutrition in children is a long-standing.
Causes Malnourished
There are several factors that cause malnutrition in children
- First, the distance between the ages of brothers and sisters who are too close influence. Thus, the mother's attention to the older brother has been taken up by the presence of his brother, so brother tend not neglected and not considered food. Therefore, the older brother eventually become malnourished. " Toddlers are passive consumers, can not take care of himself, especially to eat, "said the doctor.
- Second, the child began to walk susceptible to infection or are also infected by other diseases.
- Third is due to a less clean environment, so that the child is sickly. Because the sickly, the child becomes malnourished.
- Fourth, the lack of knowledge of parents, especially mothers about nutrition. "Poor nutrition is purely because of the food," said Doctor. According to doctors, the mother should be able to provide enough nutritional content of food. “ Does not have to be expensive, it can also be given food that is cheap, as long as the quality is good, "said the doctor. Hence, the mother must be smart to choose food for children.
- Fifth, financial conditions difficult family.
This factor is quite a lot of influence, because if a child is rarely eaten, then automatically they will be malnourished.
- Sixth, in addition to food, malnourished children can also be due to congenital disease that forced the child to be treated. Such as heart disease and lung innate.
Efforts should be made when children are malnourished
Children will be susceptible to various diseases, malnourished children, will heal in a long time. Thus these conditions will also affect the development of children's intelligence. For that, for children who are malnourished, efforts should be made to improve the nutritional.
Efforts were made, among others, is to increase parental knowledge about nutrition.
Treatment to the child by giving foods that can make the nutritional status of the child to be better. Thus, it should be a good selection of food for the child. According to doctors, good food is the food quantity and quality is good. With a good quantity of food is the food that is given in accordance with the needs of the child. For example, give the child how many plates of food a day is according to their needs. And it would be better if giving vitamin and protein through milk. For families who can not afford, can work around, for example, replace the milk with eggs. Then, good quality food is a food that contains all the nutrients, including protein, Carbohydrates iron, and Mineral The last effort is to treat comorbid diseases.
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