Concept about Nutritional Problems of Children:
Nutritional problems in children constitute the major health problems in developing countries. Poor nutrition among children is the primary health problem plaguing developing countries. The problem stems primarily from the social and economic inequalities extant in the world today and could be ameliorated by reducing unemployment and urban migration through rural and village level development keyed to the needs and desires or the community. The major nutritional problems facing the developing countries are described and suggestions for preventing the problems and for treating specific nutritional diseases are made.
Major nutritional problems include:
- Maternal nutritional anemia;
- Protein energy malnutrition;
- Vitamin A deficiency;
- Lactation failure;
- Addiction to milk feeding; and
- Inadequate preparation and use of artificial milk products.
Maternal nutritional anemia increases the frequency of low weight births in developing countries. Protein energy malnutrition afflicts approximately 100 million children under the age of 5 and can permanently affect the physical and mental development of these children.
Common Nutritional Problems of Children in Bangladesh:
1. Protein energy malnutrition:
- Kwashiorkor,
- Nutritional marasmus.
2. Vitamin deficiency disorder:
a. Vitamin A deficiency disorder: Night blindness, Xerophthalmia.
b. Vitamin C deficiency disorder: Scurvy.
c. Vitamin D deficiency disorder: Rickets.
d. Vitamin K deficiency disorder: Bleeding tendency.
e. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency disorder: Beriberi.
f. Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency disorder: Angular stomatitis.
g. Vitamin B3 (Niacin) deficiency disorder: Pellagra.
h. Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) deficiency disorder: Megaloblastic anaemia.
3. Minerals deficiency disorder:
a. Zinc deficiency disorder: Growth retardation.
b. Iron deficiency disorder: Hypochromic microcytic anaemia.
c. Iodine deficiency disorder:
- Goiter,
- Hypothyroidism,
- Cretinism,
- Dwarfism,
- Deaf-mutism.
d. Nutritional anaemia :
- Iron deficiency anaemia,
- Folic acid deficiency anaemia,
- Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia.
4. Endemic fluorosis:
Excessive amount of fluorine in drinking water.
- Dental fluorosis.oo aibseoaic,
- Skeletal fluorosis,
- Genu valgum.
5. Lathyrism (neurolathyrism):
- Khesari dhal intoxication.
List of Common Childhood Illness Signs and Symptoms:
The following symptoms are the common symptoms of childhood illness.
- Fever,
- Headache,
- Excessive drooling (in young children),
- Rash,
- Swollen lymph glands,
- Sore throat,
- Nausea and vomiting,
- Abdominal pain,
- Malaise (tired),
- Diarrhea,
- Cough.
More question related to this article:
- What is the concept about nutritional problem of children?
- What are the common nutritional problems in Bangladesh?
- Write down the common nutritional problem of children.
- List the common nutritional problems of Bangladesh?
- What are the common nutritional problems in developing countries?
- What are the 5 most common childhood illnesses?
- What are the 6 common childhood diseases?
- What are the signs and symptoms of common childhood illnesses?
Maria Khatun Mona is a Founder and Editor of Nursing Exercise Blog. She is a Nursing and Midwifery Expert. Currently she is working as a Registered Nurse at Evercare Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has great passion in writing different articles on Nursing and Midwifery. Mail her at “maria.mona023@gmail.com”