What is Malnutrition?
Malnutrition is the condition that develops when the body is deprived of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function.
Malnutrition occurs in people who are either undernourished or overnourished. Today, in the U.S., more children suffer from malnutrition due to dietary imbalances rather than nutritional deficiencies.
Undernutrition occurs when not enough essential nutrients are consumed or when they are excreted more rapidly than they can be replaced. Overnutrition occurs in people who eat too much, eat the wrong things, don't exercise enough, or take too many vitamins or other dietary replacements. Risk of overnutrition is increased by being more than 20% overweight or consuming a diet high in fat and salt.
About 1% of children in the United States suffer from chronic malnutrition.
Symptoms
Malnourished children may be short for their age, thin or bloated, listless, and have weakened immune systems. Nutritional disorders can affect any system in the body and the senses of sight, taste, and smell. They may also produce anxiety, changes in mood, and other psychiatric symptoms.
Other symptoms include:
Pale, thick, and dry skin
Bruises easily
Rashes
Changes in skin pigmentation
Thin hair that is tightly curled, and pulls out easily
Achy joints
Bones are soft and tender
Gums bleed easily
Tongue may be swollen or shriveled and cracked
Night blindness
Increased sensitivity to light and glare
Diagnosis
Overall appearance, behavior, body-fat distribution, and organ function can alert a physician to the presence of malnutrition. Patients may be asked to record what they eat during a specific period. X rays can determine bone density and reveal gastrointestinal disturbances, and heart and lung damage.
Blood and urine tests are used to measure the patient's levels of vitamins, minerals, and waste products.
Treatment
Patients who cannot or will not eat, or who are unable to absorb nutrients taken by mouth, may be fed intravenously (parenteral nutrition) or through a tube inserted into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (enteral nutrition). Tube feeding is often used to provide nutrients to patients who have suffered burns or who have
inflammatory bowel disease. This procedure involves inserting a thin tube through the nose and carefully guiding it along the throat until it reaches the stomach or small intestine. If long-term tube feeding is necessary, the tube may be placed directly into the stomach or small intestine through an incision in the abdomen.
At Hopkins Children's, malnutrtion is treated by the division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition.