In the process of parents feeding their babies, they often encounter many problems, such as the baby refusing to eat, white spots on the face, etc. Will these situations cause malnutrition in the baby? What are the symptoms of malnutrition in babies? Today, let me talk to you about it.
Symptoms of malnutrition in young children
Skinny type
Skin laxity, reduced subcutaneous fat, thinning and lack of elasticity, dry and yellow hair, frequent bowel movements with less mucus. The child's intelligence and movements are delayed to varying degrees, with body temperature below normal, slow pulse, and low blood pressure.
Edema type
Mild cases may only have subcutaneous edema, while severe cases may have depressed edema in the reproductive organs, upper limbs, abdomen, and facial area (with depression). A few children may have pleural and peritoneal effusion, and a few may also have skin scars. Sudden weight gain is a reliable sign of edema in this type of child.
Various complications occur
Due to long-term malnutrition, children may also develop various complications such as rickets, various infections, diarrhea, otitis media, pyelonephritis, and so on. Laboratory tests can reveal signs of anemia in the child.
The hazards of malnutrition
After a baby is born, their head circumference rapidly increases, especially within the first two years. This indicates that their brain is developing rapidly, and if there is insufficient nutrient intake during this stage, it will affect brain development. Babies aged 2-3 and above who suffer from malnutrition, even if they are light in weight or have intellectual disabilities, can be restored to normal by correcting malnutrition.
This indicates that during the rapid development stage of the brain, insufficient nutritional supply may have a difficult to recover impact on intelligence. Malnutrition not only affects brain function, but also causes changes in brain morphology, such as varying degrees of brain atrophy. Baby malnutrition mainly refers to protein, trace elements such as iron, zinc, iodine, vitamins, etc. When a baby lacks these nutrients, it can bring certain harm to the baby.
