Malnutrition in Children
Long-term poor diet is the main cause of malnutrition. If not properly fed, multiple births, twins, and premature infants can often lead to malnutrition. Congenital malformations such as cleft lip and chronic wasting diseases such as tuberculosis can also result in malnutrition. Symptoms include lack of weight gain or weight loss, gradual disappearance of subcutaneous fat, typically in the order of abdomen, chest and back, waist, upper and lower limbs, and cheeks. Severe cases may lead to muscle atrophy, delayed motor development, low intelligence, poor immune function, and susceptibility to digestive disorders and various infections.
Traditional Chinese massage therapy for childhood malnutrition
Traditional Chinese massage therapy offers three simple techniques to prevent and treat symptoms of digestive disorders in babies.
The first technique is massage along the four transverse lines
The four transverse lines are the second transverse lines from the fingertips in the palm, from the index finger line to the little finger line. Parents can have the baby's four fingers close together and massage from the index finger line to the little finger line for 1-2 minutes.
The second technique is pressing and massaging the Gansu acupoint
The Gansu acupoint is located on the large fish interphalangeal plane in the palm. Parents can press and massage this acupoint with their thumbs for 1-2 minutes.
The third technique is abdominal rubbing
Start from the belly button and rub the abdomen in a clockwise direction for 50 times, then rub in a counterclockwise direction for 50 times. If parents can perform the above treatments three times a week and persist in the long term, it will help the baby grow up healthy and strong.
How to care for children with malnutrition
(1) General care
Ensure fresh air in the ward, suitable temperature and humidity, and do a good job of disinfection and isolation to prevent cross-infection with children with infectious diseases. For intensive care, keep the skin clean and dry and bathe frequently. Keep the bed clean and flat. Massage the bony prominences twice a day with 50% alcohol to promote blood circulation. Use cotton pads if necessary. Change diapers in a timely manner to prevent diaper rash. Take care of oral hygiene, especially for children with nasogastric feeding, clean the mouth twice a day with saline-soaked cotton balls. Measure body weight regularly to understand the child's nutritional status.
(2) Monitor the condition
Especially for severely malnourished children, they can die silently at any time due to their weak reactions. Therefore, strengthen observation and pay attention to changes in breathing and heart rate.
(3) Intravenous nutrition
For children receiving total parenteral nutrition or partial parenteral nutrition, protect the blood vessels and choose the distal veins first. The indwelling catheter can generally be retained for 1 week, but the injection site should be observed daily for signs of bleeding or leakage. Replace wet adhesive tapes in a timely manner. Pay attention to the infusion rate and use an infusion pump to maintain continuous infusion for 24 hours, which facilitates speed control or addition of medication.
(4) Proper feeding
Gradually adjust the diet based on the degree of malnutrition, digestive capacity, and tolerance to food. For children with mild malnutrition, add protein-rich and high-energy foods to their regular diet. For children with moderate to severe malnutrition, gradually increase calorie and nutrient intake. For breastfed infants, follow the baby's appetite and feed on demand without restrictions. For infants without breast milk, start with diluted cow's milk and gradually increase the amount and concentration after 5 days, while reducing the frequency of feeding. For older children, in addition to dairy products, they can be given protein-rich foods such as soy milk, eggs, liver, minced meat, and fish paste. Pay attention to supplementing vitamins and minerals of all degrees of malnutrition, especially vitamin A, potassium, and magnesium. Various vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins.
(5) Infants should be breastfed
Breast milk is the essential and ideal natural food for infants. Breast milk contains rich nutrients and anti-infective substances, which can reduce the incidence of diarrhea and respiratory infections in children. For insufficient breast milk or no breast milk, reasonable mixed feeding or artificial feeding should be used. As the child grows older, various complementary foods should be added at around 6 months, including various vitamins and minerals, especially high-quality protein. Ensure sufficient sleep for children, correct poor hygiene habits, and promptly treat conditions such as cleft lip, cleft palate, and pyloric stenosis. At the same time, do a good job of preventing infectious diseases through vaccination, isolation, and early treatment. When a child's appetite is low and weight does not increase, early treatment should be initiated.
Disease prevention (very important)
Dietary arrangements for malnutrition
1. Children with long-term malnutrition are often short and thin, with slow responses, lack of interest in activities, little social interaction, yellow and sparse hair, dry and wrinkled skin, inflamed corners of the mouth, peeled tongue, cold limbs, and lower body temperature. They often experience various infections and inflammations. If parents pay attention to observation, it is not difficult to detect early signs of malnutrition in children, and they should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
2. Breast milk is the most complete food for infants. Breastfeeding is advocated, and attention should be paid to feeding methods. Complementary foods should be added in a timely manner according to age, following the principles of gradually increasing consistency and amount, starting with simple foods and progressing to complex ones, and starting with small amounts and gradually increasing. Weaning should occur around 1 year of age, and easily digestible and nutritious foods should be provided.
3. Pay attention to outdoor exercise, breathe fresh air, and get plenty of sunlight to enhance physical fitness.
4. Gradually increase food intake based on the original diet. The amount added each time should not be excessive. If symptoms of indigestion occur, reduce the amount accordingly.
5. Pay attention to the reasonable allocation of food quality and quantity.
6. Visit the hospital or consult with traditional Chinese medicine practitioners regularly. If problems are found, it is recommended to use Chinese herbal medicine, herbal diet therapy, or dietary adjustments. After all, traditional Chinese medicine treats the root cause, while Western medicine treats symptoms, but with more side effects.
