Common Nutrient Deficiency Diseases among Under-five

Children

By: Chimwemwe Chisenga

To equip mothers & caregivers with knowledge on common micronutrient deficiency diseases and protein energy deficiency malnutrition and how they can be prevented and controlled

Objectives

Two groups of malnutrition diseases Micronutrient deficiency diseases Protein energy malnutrition

Micronutrient deficiency diseases among children

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Orientation of symbols

Orientation

1. Read through the information and facts about

the disease2. Reread as many times as you can until you

have understood the information3. At the end of each topic, take a short quiz

Directions

Select the disease you would like to learn about first

AnemiaCretinism &

GoitreXerophthalmi

a

A micro nutrient deficiency disease Caused by iron deficiency Mostly affects women of child bearing age and

young children

Anemia

Clinical signs and symptoms Pale conjunctive (inner eyelid), nail beds, gums,

tongue, lips and skin Tiredness Headaches Breathlessness

Anemia

Preventive behaviors for a healthy

family Increase iron intake by:- Eating iron rich vegetables like

cowpeas, spinach, beans, pulses, pumpkin seeds and other greens.

Eat meat like beef, liver, goat or chicken

Eat iron helpers such as guavas, oranges, lemon or little meat to help your body use the iron

Avoid eating iron blockers like tea, coffee or milk an hour before and after eating an iron rich meal

Anemia Prevention

Prevent malaria by:- Sleeping under a mosquito

net Get treated for malaria

immediately Take iron tablets as directed by

a health worker. Pregnant women should take

one tablet of iron and folic acid everyday for six months

Anemia prevention

1. One of the causes of Anemia is…………?a. Nutrient deficiencyb. Iron deficiencyc. Eating a lot of vegetablesd. Tiredness

Quiz

Incorrect Answer

Oops! you missed it, try again!

Correct Answer!Anemia is caused by a deficiency in iron intake

2. Which among the following is not a preventive behavior of Anemia for a healthy family?a. Increase iron intakeb. Prevent Malariac. Take tea, coffee or milk each time you take a

n iron-rich meald. Take iron tablets as directed by the health wo

rker

Quiz

Sorry!Incorrect Answer

Correct!

You have to avoid taking tea, coffee or milk an hour before or an hour after taking an iron-rich meal

Evaluation

3. Which population is the most at risk with Anemia?a. The elderlyb. Womenc. Women of child bearing age & young childrend. Everyone

Quiz!

Sorry, try again!

Correct you got it!

Women of child bearing age and younger children are at risk of Anemia

Both are caused by Iodine deficiency

Signs and Symptoms of Goitre Grade 0-you can’t feel it, a visibly enlarged

thyroid Grade 1- not visibly enlarged thyroid with neck

in normal position Grade 2-visibly enlarged thyroid with neck in

normal position

Cretinism and Goitre

Signs &SymptomsIt manifests in two forms1. Neurological Cretinism Mental deficiency Deaf mutism Lack of muscular coordination

Cretinism

2. Hypothyroid Cretinism Dwarfism Hypothyroidism The population at risk of becoming deficient in

Iodine are :- Populations from mountainous areas where there

is limited access to sea food and iodized salt Goitre is highest in adolescence particularly in

girls

Cretinism

Purchase packaged iodized salt

Store packaged iodized salt faraway from heat and from moisture

Add salt before serving the food

Prevention of Goitre and Cretinism

1. What two conditions are under neurological

cretinism?a. Deaf mutism & Dwarfismb. Dwarfism & Hypothyroidismc. Deaf mutism & mental deficiencyd. Mental deficiency & Hypothyroidism

Quiz

Oops! Try again!

Correct!

Deaf mutism & Mental deficiency

Evaluation

2. Mention two diseases that are caused by lack of iodine in the diet.a. Cretinism & Hypothyroidismb. Goitre & Cretinismc. Goitre & Dwarfismd. Goitre & Anemia

Quiz

Try again!

Oh-oh!

You got it right!

Goitre and Cretinism

Evaluation

Xerophthalmia- Caused by Vitamin A

deficiency

Clinical signs and Symptoms Night blindness Eye dryness accompanied by foamy

accumulations on the conjunctiva (inner eyelids), that often appear near the outer edge of the Iris (Bitot’s spot)

Xerophthalmia

Signs & symptoms Eye dryness, dullness or clouding (milky

appearance) of the cornea (Corneal Xerosis)

Eye softening & ulceration of the cornea (Keratomalacia). This is sometimes followed by perforation of the cornea which leads to the loss of eye contents & permanent blindness

Xerophthalmia Cont’d

Xerophthalmia

Keratomalacia

Populations at risk are those

who have no access to fresh fruit & vegetables

Children suffering from measles, diarrhea, respiratory infections, chickenpox & other severe infections

Xerophthalmia cont’d

Increase Vitamin A intake through

consumption of yellow and orange fruits and vegetables

Mothers should take Vitamin A within 8 weeks after giving birth

Xerophthalmia Preventive Behaviors

Children from 6-59 months old should get

Vitamin A supplementation orally every six months

Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months and continue to breastfeed up to twenty four months

Xerophthalmia Prevention cont’d

1. How can a family prevent Xerophthalmia?a. Increase Vitamin A intake by reducing consu

mption of yellow & orange fruits and vegetables

b. Mothers should take Vitamin A supplement within 8 weeks after giving birth

c. Drink a lot of waterd. A and b

Quiz

Oh no-o-o-o!

Evaluation

Great Job!

Mothers should really take Vitamin A within 8 weeks after giving birth

Evaluation

2. What causes Xerophthalmiaa. Vitamin B deficiencyb. Vitamin A deficiencyc. Malariad. Iodine deficiency

Quiz!

Oops!

Evaluation

Good Job!

Yes! Xerophthalmia is caused by Vitamin A deficiency

Evaluation

Next module is about Protein Energy Malnutrition.

End of part one!

Congratulations! You now know the four common Micro Nutrient Deficiency Diseases!

There are two common conditions under protein

energy malnutrition.

Choose the condition you want to learn first from the two above.

Protein Energy Malnutrition

Kwashiorkor Marasmus

Kwashiorkor

Caused by a severe deficiency of protein in diets

that contain calories. Most common in areas where there is Famine Limited food supply Low levels of education( when people do not

understand how to eat a proper diet) Most common in very poor countries

Kwashiorkor

Shrinking muscle mass Diarrhea Fatigue Hair changes and loss Large belly that sticks out Swelling (Edema which hides muscle loss most

of the times Illnesses due to a weakened immune system

Signs and symptoms

Make sure the diet contains several sources of

complete proteins Get more calories and proteins with early

treatment by: Making sure that the diet has enough

carbohydrates, fats (at least 10% of total calories), & protein (12% of total calories)

Reintroduce food slowly to the patient

Prevention & Treatment of Kwashiorkor

1. Mention two signs of someone with

Kwashiorkora. They have a large belly that sticks out and sw

elling (Edema)b. They breathe so fast and swellc. They have shrinking muscle and are energeti

cd. None of the above

Quiz

Oops! You missed it! Try again!

Evaluation

Yes! Correct answer!

They have a large belly and they swell (Edema)

Evaluation

Go back to Protein Energy Malnutrition

Caused by severe deficiency of protein & calories and affects infants and young children

Develops in children between 6 months and 1year in children who have been weaned from breast milk or who suffer from weakening conditions like diarrhea

Marasmus

Results after energy

deficiency and emaciation Signs & Symptoms Severe growth retardation Loss of subcutaneous fat Severe muscle wasting The child looks appallingly

thin & limbs appear as skin and bone

Marasmus Cont’d

Shriveled body Frequent westerly diarrhea Mostly hungry all the time Dehydration Weak muscles

Marasmus Symptoms

Just like in Kwashiorkor Get early treatment and more calories

and proteins by making sure that your diet has enough carbohydrates, fats (at least 10% of total calories), & protein (12% of total calories)

Prevention

You are now an expert in nutritional diseases among the under-five children

Congratulations!

http://motherchildnutrition.org/malnutrition/about-malnutrition/com

mon-micronutrient-deficiency-diseases.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGhD8g5v6l4 http://www.livestrong.com/article/269901-a-list-of-protein-deficiency-

diseases/ http://www.livestrong.com/article/491525-diseases-from-lack-of-prote

in/ http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/kwashiorkor/overvie

w.html http://www.slideshare.net/Qurrotulain1/protein-energy-malnutrition http://www.goldbamboo.com/pictures-t9766.html https://www.google.com/search?q=iodized+salt+images&ie=utf-

8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb

References