Adequate and balanced dietary requirements has been identified as a leading growth stimulants for children ,with all essential nutrients in their right proportion in place,the physical and mental development of children is guaranteed,but when these conditions are not met,the physical and mental well being of there children may be affected.
This assesstiin was made by the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Agency Dr Janet Ekpenyong at the paediatric unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital on a visit to a two year old child who is said to be suffering from acute malnutrition.
Dr Ekpenyong while examing the child identified poor and improper feeding to have caused her under development which also paved way for the harboring of some common illnesses that may have been averted if proper conditions were met, she also charged families to place priorities on children and caregivers daily nutrients requirements to check the growing concern on malnutrition.
She further encouraged nursing mothers to adopt exclusive breastfeeding especially for the first 6 months of a child's birth to help develop their antibodies as well as meet the child's daily nutrients requirements for growth and development.
"The case we have here is a severe case of malnutrition,you can see the child is suffering from a condition called "Marasmus" which is identified with thinand brittle hair as well as loss of body muscles ,that is why we encourage parents especially women to attend antenatal services so that they can be taught on daily dietary requirements for themselves and their unborn children, although we have already gone pass that stage,now we must focus on the baby and see how we can get her immune system boosted again ".
"Globally,we record close to 45% death rate of malnourished children between 0-5 years,and that is why we must treat malnutrition with all sense of importance. Although we know that times are hard,everyone should be conscious of having a balanced diet ,which is not just a defense to some illnesses but also a support to our immunity and requirement both in energy supply,body building and functionality".
"I encourage everyone to come support the little child and report similar cases of malnutrition both in children as well as in adults especially pregnant and nursing mothers to avail relevant agencies of government meet up the needs of these category of people".
Her visit was wrapped up by the donation of gifts and supports to the caregiver for proper management of the child.
Malnutrition simply refers to when a person’s diet does not provide enough nutrients or the right balance of essential nutrients for optimal health.
Some common Causes of malnutrition around us include inappropriate dietary choices, a low income from families, difficulty obtaining food, and various physical and mental health conditions.
Comments
Post a Comment