Kwashiorkor in Infant

Kwashiorkor is mostly found in developing countries because of poverty, war, ignorance, hurricane etc and is suffered mostly by infants or little children whose diet lack protein-calories. Kwashiorkor is therefore caused by the lack of protein- calories in the diet. Protein in the diet plays very important roles in the diet these include:

• Repair of worn-out cells
• General body and muscle building
• Provide energy in the body especially when carbohydrate intake is low
• Helps in the development of hormones
• Help in blood transportation and clotting

Symptoms of Kwashiorkor

Symptoms associated with kwashiorkor include:

(a)     Bloated stomach

(b)    Oedema (swelling) in the feet, hand, and feet.

(c)     Loss of appetite

(d)  Retard growth

(e)  Change in the color and texture of the hair

(f)    Loss of weight etc.

Treatment of Kwashiorkor

Children suffering from kwashiorkor should be given immediate attention in order to prevent a disease called Marasmus which is the advance case of kwashiorkor and is characterized by the complete wasting of muscles in the hands and legs.

Children suffering from this disease should be fed with the provision of adequate protein and calories in high quantity in their diet.  They should be fed with food like eggs, milk, fish, beans, soy beans powder or soy milk, African yam bean which is very rich in protein etc. also, their food should be supplemented with folic acid, iron, salt, vitamin A, potassium and magnesium sulphate. Foods rich in calories are given first (carbohydrate, fat, and simple sugar) so that they can gain energy then protein rich food can now be given later. When their diet is properly monitored, full recovery should not take up to 8 months.  

Prevention of Kwashiorkor

Children should be fed with protein-calorie rich food. In fact I will say that children should be given food that contains all the classes of food (balance diet) in the adequate manner which is:

(a)    Carbohydrate

(b)   Protein

(c)    Vitamin

(d)   Minerals

(e)   Lipids(fat)

(f)     Fiber

(g)    Water.

Non of these essentials should be lacking in their diet,  their diet should be garnished with fish, meat, eggs, vegetables etc. children should be encouraged to eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in order to build strong immunity that help fight against germs and diseases. Also, give lots of milk to children, because it will help them to have a healthy growth. Thank God for the food industries, they are able to come up with different brands of milk at a very low price, so money should no longer be the problem, go for the one your pocket can afford. Parents should erase the mentality that is the elderly that eat the lion share of meat and fish then children should be served with bone to lick, remember they are still growing and need these things more than you do. Please don’t be ignorant of what your children should eat. Let save our children, let them live and not die. Seek counsel and guardian from your health care provider, thank God for health center just few miles away from home.