MALNUTRITION

Malnutrition is a condition that develops when the body does not get the proper amount of protein, enery (calories), vitamins, and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function: unbalanced or insufficent diet or defective assimilation or utilization of foods.

Although malnutrition occurs in children who are either undernourished or overnoureished, in Indonesia child malnutrition, as measured by the proportion of children who are either undersnourished or overnourished, in Indonesia child malnutrition, as measured bay the proportion of children under five years of age, who are moderately or severely underweigh, reaches 28 % in 2003; meanwhile seer malnutrition equals 8 % in 2002. This last figure would even be one in eight children in tsunami-affected areas of Indonesia, according to a nutrition assessment conducted by UNICEF in January 2005.

As protein and energy are indispensable for growth and development, children are more likely to suffer form consequences of malnutrition due to poor eating habits or lack of available food, and thus are more vulnerable to have other diseases.

Symptoms and diagnosis :
The child nutrition status can be measured with :

1. Body weight (BB), body height (TB), and BB/TB to becompared with standard tables.
2. Circle a child's mid-upper arm and measure tha thick of fat triceps fold or sub scapular.

Most sever cases of maltuntrition :
Marasmus: a form of protin-energy malntrition predominatly due to prolonged severe caloric deficit, chiefly occurring the firs year of life, characterized by : growth reterdation and progressive wasting of subcutaneous fat and muscle, but usually with retention of the appetite and mental alertness. often comes with darrhea or constipation and infectious diseases may be procipitating factors. Also called infantile atrophy, athrepsia, and pedatrophia.

Kwashiorkor : a form of protein-energy malnutrition produced by severe protein deficiency; caloric intake may be adequate but is ususally also deficient. it is charactrize by:

• Retarded growth
• Changes in skin and hair pigment
• Edema
• Enlarged abdomen
• Immunodeficiency
• Pathologic changes in the liver, including fatty infiltration, necrosis and fibrosis
• Mental apathy
• Atrophy of the pancreas
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Anemia
• Low serum albumin
• Dermatoses

Marasmic Kwashiorkor : condidition in which there is deficiency both calories and protein with :

• Severe tissue wasting
• Loss of subcutaneous fat,
• Dehydration (usually)

How to treat it ?

• Slight and moderate malnutrition treatment consists in giving nutritional food, balance menu, a large amount of carbohydrate and protein. Neverheless other disease linked with malnutrition which could cause growt disturbance to the child (such as intestinal worm infection, diarrhea, etc) also need to be diagnosed and treated.
• Severe cases of malntrition represent an emergency situation. Hospitalization and appropriate treatment is required.

How to Prevent it?

• A good nutritive diet during pregnancy
• Exclusive brastfeeding (ASI) during the firts 6 months of life and breastfeeding up to 2 years of life.
• Regular check of the baby's growth and development
  
• Immunization of the child to prevent from communicable diseases
• Accurate knowladge about malnutrition symptoms for early diagnosis and complications prevention.

Sources : Health Massenger, WHO, Mawarny Halijah, Project coordinator,