Diet for severely malnourished children

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Children are the subjects that need to receive a special diet in order to develop both physically and mentally, and improve their resistance. Because if children are severely malnourished, they will become thin, sick and susceptible to diseases. Therefore, parents need to pay attention and implement a diet for severely malnourished children according to recommendations to improve their health status and help children develop comprehensively.

1. Malnutrition in children

Malnutrition is defined as a nutritional deficiency in children. This condition does not meet the nutritional needs of the body to serve the needs of normal growth and activity of the baby. The subjects most susceptible to malnutrition are children from 6 months to 2 years old. This is the time when the child's body needs high levels of nutrients to develop fully, and at the same time, enhance the immune system to fight pathogens from outside the environment. According to experts, children with mild to severe malnutrition are susceptible to respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. Children will have growth retardation, increased risk of low birth weight and osteoporosis. In the long term, children are likely to have speech delays, memory impairments, reduced social communication and work ability.
With the above consequences, parents must have seen the importance of nutrition for infants and children. From there, consciously increase nutrients for children.
Malnourished children are divided into categories such as:
Malnutrition underweight or low weight for age Stunt malnutrition Malnutrition underweight SEE MORE: Caring for and nurturing children with malnutrition nutrition

2. Causes and signs of severe malnutrition in children

2.1. Causes Most children are malnourished because their daily diet does not meet their nutritional needs. In addition, there are other reasons such as:
Children cannot or do not have adequate breastfeeding conditions: According to nutritionists, in the first 6 months of life, children need to be exclusively breastfed. This is a complete and perfect source of nutrition for children's growth and prevention of malnutrition. At the same time, babies (before 4 months of age) who eat solid foods early are also at increased risk of malnutrition. Diverse food makes children anorexic: Diverse and attractively decorated recipes will help children be more excited to eat and absorb food better. On the contrary, food that does not suit the taste will make the baby anorexia, lazy to eat. Over time, children will become malnourished. Children regularly take medicine to treat diseases: Children who take a lot of treatment drugs will help kill harmful bacteria and improve their condition. On the other hand, the drug will eliminate the beneficial bacteria in the intestinal system. This reduces feed fermentation and poor nutrient absorption. Psychological issues: Children eating in a comfortable and happy atmosphere will help them eat more deliciously. On the contrary, children who are often forced to eat will cause anxiety and stress, causing anorexia. 2.2. Signs of Child Malnutrition The child's weight accurately reflects the child's malnourished status. Therefore, parents should monitor their weight regularly to know if their children are developing normally or are malnourished.
In the case of children gaining weight regularly every month, it is a sign of normal growth and healthy development. Conversely, if the child has not gained weight for 3 consecutive months or is slowly gaining weight, it is likely that the child is undernourished.

If parents do not have conditions for children to weigh, they can measure the baby's left arm to determine the nutritional status of the children. In addition, parents can recognize signs of malnutrition through the following symptoms:
Crying a lot. No longer interested in participating in fun activities. Gestures are slower than peers. Legs and feet are flabby. Big belly. Pale green skin. Newborns will show signs of delay in speech, slow walking. Prolonged anorexia. Accordingly, children with severe malnutrition are at risk of some serious complications such as:
Hypoglycemia, hypothermia. Electrolyte disturbances. Heart damage, even death. If the child shows one or more of the above symptoms, parents should send the child to the hospital for examination and treatment.
MORE: Treatment of malnutrition due to protein-energy deficiency in children

3. Diet for severely malnourished children

Dietary modification is one of the important treatment regimens for the treatment of malnutrition in infants and young children. Usually, nutritionists will advise parents to increase the nutritional content of food and take some supplements. Here are some principles in the diet for severely malnourished children:
Eat several meals a day to gradually increase calories About every 2 hours, parents feed the child once. The amount of food can be gradually increased from less to more, from thin to thick. Not only gradually increasing the amount of calories, children's meals will also increase in protein, specifically from 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 g/kg. When the baby has stable growth, the mother can maintain the level of 3g protein / kg. Use high-energy milk as prescribed by the doctor Take some supplements such as vitamin tablets, iron preparations and digestive enzymes. Some foods are necessary for severely malnourished children such as:
Use milk with added oil, sugar or other foods with high energy density, ensuring 1 kcal/ 1 ml of food. In nursing children: In addition to breast milk, give children extra meals of milk - oil - sugar. In children with complementary feeding: In addition to breast milk and milk - oil - sugar meals, add cereals cooked with meat, fish, eggs (variable) + vegetables + oil. In addition, parents should also give their children fresh juices to drink.
SEE ALSO: Diet, care for malnourished children, stunting

4. Prevention of severe malnutrition in children

Preventing child malnutrition can be prevented from before and after pregnancy until the child is born and reaches preschool age. Accordingly, a number of measures are applied to prevent malnutrition in children as follows:
When planning a pregnancy and during pregnancy, the wife needs to increase nutrition from natural foods or pills. . During the first 6 months of life, babies need to be fed exclusively with breast milk. Breastfeeding can last up to 2 years, 3 years, or even beyond. Babies should not be introduced to solid foods too early. Parents should wait until the baby is at least 6 months old to start introducing solids. Weaning menus are required to be rich and nutritious at each stage of the child's development. Children from 24 months of age and older need a diet full of important nutrient groups. Choose fresh foods, limit foods containing plant preservatives, chemical dyes. Make sure food is cooked. Always get in the habit of monitoring the baby's monthly growth chart to detect severe malnutrition early. Limit the use of antibiotics in children. These drugs work to treat the disease, but it will affect the ability to absorb nutrients and reduce appetite when eating. Perform routine vaccinations and deworming for children.

Nutrition plays a huge role in the treatment and prevention of malnutrition in children. Therefore, parents need to know the information and build a good nutrition plan for their children.
To prevent and improve malnutrition in children, parents should supplement with supporting products containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, B vitamins to help meet meet the nutritional needs of the child. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well. Parents can also apply dietary supplements and functional foods derived from nature for easy absorption by the baby. The most important thing is that the improvement of the baby's symptoms must take place over the long term. Combining many types of functional foods at the same time or changing many types in a short time can make the baby's digestive system unable to adapt and completely not good. Therefore, parents must be really persistent with their children and regularly visit the website vimec.com to update useful baby care information.