kwashiorkor picture, symptom, cause, treatment

Kwashiorkor is a serious problem in underdeveloped countries, affecting children from infancy to about 5 years of age. Kwashiorkor is a form of malnutrition caused by inadequate protein intake. The name 'Kwashiorkor' is derived from one of the Kwa languages of coastal Ghana and means "the one who is displaced" reflecting the development of the condition in the older child who has been weaned from the breast once a new sibling is born, first defined in the 1930s . This is typically a disease of impoverishedcountries often seen in the midst of drought or political turmoil. Kwashiorkor occurs most commonly in areas of famine, limited food supply, and low levels of education, which can lead to inadequate knowledge of proper diet. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Kwashiorkor is available below.

kwashiorkor Symptoms

Early symptoms of any type of malnutrition are very general and include fatigue , irritability , and lethargy . Physiologic changes include a fatty liver, renal failure , and anemia . Kwashiorkor often affects an older child weaned from breast milk to an inadequate diet after another child is born. During the final stages of kwashiorkor, patients can experience, shock , coma, and, finally, death. Other symptoms may include -

• irritability
• lethargy or apathy
• diarrhea
• dermatitis
• changes in skin pigment
• increased numbers of infections
• shock (late stage)
• coma (late stage)

kwashiorkor Treatment

To prevent kwashiorkor, it's not enough to have adequate amounts of protein; you must get all twenty of the amino acids that make up human proteins. Adequate diet with appropriate amounts of carbohydrate, fat (minimum of 10 percent of total calories), and protein (12 percent of total calories) will prevent kwashiorkor. Treatment also varies depending on the severity of the condition.Shock requires immediate treatment with restoration of blood volume andmaintenance of blood pressure. If treatment is initiated early, there can be a regression of symptoms, though full height and weight potential will likely never be reached.