Malnutrition can be happened for four reasons –
- Overnutrition
- Undernutrition
- Imbalance
- Specific deficiency
- Overnutrition –
Overnutrition is occurred due to excess intake of nutrients such as calorie, vitamins, minerals etc. It is seen that mother feeds the infant excess foods due to over-fondness or ignorance about nutrition. If food contains large amount of calorie, butter, sugar etc, it can enhance the amount of total calorie. The weight of infant increases comparison to infant’s age and infant becomes fatty. Then different types of health problems occur due to obesity.
Hypervitaminosis A and D is seen due to excess intake of vitamin A and D and Hemosiderosis is seen if iron is stored in large amount in liver. Different types of symptoms are observed due to over nutrition.
- Undernutrition –
Giving weaning food can cause various problems. If mother weans before right time or mother give weaning food to infants too late, it can cause undernutrition.
- Effect of introducing weaning food too early –
Sometimes mother stops the breastfeeding and introduces weaning food to infant too early. Then start to give milk which is taken from market and as a result infant does not get sufficient amount of nutrients. Infant suffers from diarrhea due to lack of physical cleanliness and breast milk. When infant suffers from diarrhea, as a treatment she or he is kept on fasting due to lack of knowledge about nutrition. Then infant suffers from marasmus. It is result of defective feeding habit and it is the result of eating disorder.
- Effect of introducing weaning food too late –
Owing to poverty sometimes mothers feed only breast milk to infant and give weaning food too late.
Usually starchy foods are available in kitchen. So sago, barley and rice powder are heated then milk and sugar are added and given to infant. Food contains no essential protein. Infant is affected by severe diseases. Infant is affected by kwashiorkor. When there is seen the lack of protein as well as food than actual requirement then infant is affected by marasmic kwashiorkor.
Main causes of malnutrition due to defective feeding are –
- Poverty
- Lack of knowledge about correct feeding
- Low intake of food
- Frequent infectious disease
- Lack of cleanliness
- Misconceptions about food.
- Imbalance –
If disproportion is occurred among nutrients, infant is affected by many diseases. For example – Disproportion between calcium and vitamin D leads to bone deformities.
- Specific deficiency –
One specific nutrient can cause malnutrition. For example – anemia is occurred due to the lack of iron.
Eating problems of infant:
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| Feeding of infant |
Every infant has some eating problems. Main eating problems are –
Failure to thrive :
The main reasons of this problem are –
- Negligence of mother or nanny.
- Unintentionally less amount of feeding. The result is infant becomes tetchy, hungry. Infant suffers from constipation. Weight does not increase properly. Sometimes infant looks calm and satisfied. Infant becomes dehydrated.
- Infant is unable to tolerate food and the result is infant is affected by malnutrition.
- Special bonding between mother and infant is hampered due to anxiety and tension of mother.
- Illness of infant.
Prevention:
- Regular weight measurement.
- Properly breastfeeding and mother should breastfeed and formula feed the infant in right place.
- Give formula feeding after breastfeeding.
- Wean the infant in right time.
- Mother should be careful about feeding.
GOR ( Gastro Esophageal Reflux):
In this case some symptoms are observed such as vomiting, heart burning, severe crying, bending of back and anorexia.
Prevention:
During giving formula feeding, it should be concentrated. Mother has to choose right place during feeding. Stomach should be cleared by giving medicine.
By giving right proportion of food and solid food this problem can be prevented. If following symptoms are appeared, you must consult with doctor.
- Weight does not increase properly.
- Anorexia, unable to tolerate food or stomach pain during feeding.
- Hematemesis (vomiting blood).
- Frequently coughing, feeling choked or breathing problem.
- Apnoea.
Colic pain:
Most of the time infant suffers from stomach pain. Then infant cries severely and howls. Infant tenses the leg.
Causes of pain:
- It is thought that cow milk contains protein named lactose which cannot be tolerated by the infant.
- If the relation between mother and infant is hampered, it turned into heath problem.
Prevention:
Gripe water can be given. Father and mother should be sensitive. Mother should continue breastfeeding.
Wind:
If infant sucks the nipple for long time, at last breast milk gives out and then winds enter into the stomach of infant. Sometimes hole of feeding bottle becomes big and it can cause entering of wind into stomach.
Prevention:
Mother should breastfeed interchangeably and changes the feeding bottles frequently.
Infants whom feed formula food, more prone to constipation than whom feed mother breast milk because fat of mother breast milk abosorbs well and as a result level of calcium soap decreases. Calcium soap converts the stool into solid state.
Prevention:
- To prevent constipation, food should be in liquid form.
- Boiled water should be given.
- Orange juice can be given in mid-morning.
- Sugar can be added with formula food as it helps to soften the stool.
If infant has tendency of constipation, he or she should be given solid food from 4 months. Boiled fruit, vegetables and cereals can be given correctly. Then gradually cereal, bean and dhal can be given. Fibre rich foods have water holding capacity and so help in stool emission.
Acute diarrhea:
Diarrhea means frequently liquid stool emission. Infant whom feed breast milk, they are less prone to diarrhea. Diarrhea is a germicidal disease. Untidy utensils causes diarrhea. Diarrhea hampers the absorption of nutrients as a result infant is affected by malnutrition. Infant becomes dehydrated.
Prevention:
Cleanliness should be maintained. Breastfeeding should not be stopped. Infant should not be remained in fasting.
Choking:
Sometimes choking is occurred because foods are stuck in throat. If infant eats the food during running and eats large amount of food at one time, more prone to choking. Nut, raisin, grapes, sweets products can cause chocking.
Prevention:
If infant feeds in one place, he or she pays attention in chewing and swallowing food properly as a result chocking problem is not occurred.
Over feeding:
Over feeding is one type of eating problem. If mother feeds large amount of food, infant vomits and suffers from gastrointestinal problem. It is occurred mostly in the case of formula feeding.
If infant is not satisfied by the formula feeding diarrhea may occur. For example- sometimes formula food contains more carbohydrate. Protein of cow milk causes allergy. In this case vomiting, tetchy, diarrhea may occur. Hematochezia (blood in stool) may also occur. On the contrary mother feeds small amount of food than his or her actual requirement, infant becomes tetchy, hungry and underweight. Infant suffers from constipation.
Food allergy:
Some specific foods are unable to digest by the infant, it is called food allergy.
Prevention:
- Infant should be given mother’s breast milk for first six months.
- Foods which can be the cause of allergy such as egg, nut etc should not be given to infant.
By following above remedies all can get the good result.
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