What is Kwashiorkor?

Kwashiorkor is a critical health condition known to be caused by protein malnutrition, also called edematous malnutrition, malignant malnutrition, and protein-calorie malnutrition.

The first kwashiorkor discovery was made by the World Health Organization in the early 1950s, with a limited scientific piece of evidence, until the year 1993.

In 1993, Williams suggested it to be a protein deficiency disease associated with starvation from protein diets.

Protein plays a vital role in the body’s maintenance, growth, and development, and it is present in all the cells in the body.

What Happens During Kwashiorkor?

Meanwhile, the cells require protein to repair themselves, and protein malnutrition is associated with excessive accumulation of serum in tissue spaces in the hands and feet.

Countries with sufficient food supply are preventive against it.

Regions with limited food supply are susceptible to it, and rural communities like southeast Asia, central America, Puerto, South Africa, Uganda, Rico, and Jamaica are easily affected.

Children have the highest reported cases, around the weaning age to 6 years of age, with stunted growth because protein contributes to their growth and development,

Breast Milk contains protein constituents that help babies develop and grow, and high consumption of carbohydrates- maize, rice, and cassava due to low availability of food, is connected to kwashiorkor. Research has made it known that the lack of antioxidants and micronutrients such as vitamin C, carotenoids, beta carotene, and lycopene also contributes to protein deficiency illness.

Children are not the only victims, but it can occur to older adults as an underlying sign of HIV infection. It shows physical signs like protruding stomach, growth difficulties, and a skinny body, which is treatable.

This article will put on the responsibility to review the causes/risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, preventions, and other related diseases.

What Are The Causes/Risk Factors of Kwashiorkor?

Several causes and risk factors linked with kwashiorkor are responsible for the disintegration of the body system. They include:

Low dietary protein intake- cutting the protein diet off by excessive consumption of other nutrients increases the chance of developing it, the internal components get compromised with the shortage of protein, and the digestive system experiences swelling and suppressed immunity.

Illness of the lymphatic system occurs, affecting immunity, lipid absorption, and fluid recovery. The body then lacks its ability to repair due to low protein availability.

A high level of aflatoxin is caused by the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus, which is associated with Kwashiorkor and is found in hot and humid climates. In rural communities, it grows on cultivated crops like millet and maize. The high level of aflatoxin in the body affects vital organs- brain, heart, kidney, liver, and lungs. Health organizations have found Aspergillus flavus responsible for most of the reported cases of liver cancer.

Other contributing causes are eating foods with zero knowledge of nutrient intake due to low-level education and parents who feed their children a low protein diet.

Children are weaned at a younger age, leading to a lack of nutrients for growth and development.

Natural disasters (drought) cause damage to cultivated crops or stored food.

Political unrest leads to the destruction of farmlands, houses, and warehouses, causing a shortage of food.

What Are The Signs and Symptoms of Kwashiorkor?

Many visible indications can inform you of the illness, but these indicators are not justifiable and can also be a sign of underlying diseases. The signs and symptoms include:

• Edema in hands and feets
• Extended abdomen,
• Weight loss, muscle wasting, and loss of body fat.
• Inflammation of the skin
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of teeth
• Skin and hair discoloration
• Extreme fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Dehydration
• Irritation
• Cleave skin
• Slow wound or healing
• Show

Signs and symptoms can vary with individuals, but it is advisable to seek medical attention before noticeable signs and symptoms.

What Is The Diagnosis Of Kwashiorkor?

Examining a patient with Kwashiorkor disease can start with physical examinations with knowledge of the patient’s medical history, and the aim is to ensure proper checking of the parameters. Physical examination checks for lesions on the skin, swelling of feet, hands, and face, weight and height, and overall growth. Details of the patient’s diet can help diagnose kwashiorkor.

Test to check for blood sugar level to determine the amounts of protein present via urine or blood test. Electrolytes in urine and blood help to assess the amount of zinc, magnesium, and sodium. Also, Hepatomegaly is a diagnostic test for enlarged liver.

Diagnosis parameters for kwashiorkor include muscle atrophy, dermatitis, abdominal distension, Arterial blood gas, the blood level of creatinine, and potassium, complete blood count, and blood urea nitrogen.

In diagnosing kwashiorkor, the general clinical assessments for examining malnutrition are Middle Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) and Weight for height Zero. They will help to check for other potential nutrient deficiencies and provide immediate treatment after diagnosis.

What Are The Treatments for Kwashiorkor?

Treating Kwashiorkor is determined by its intensity and causes. The earlier the treatments, the faster the recovery.

It is treatable with balanced diet consumption, close observation, and cautiousness.

Here are approaches for Kwashiorkor treatments- the treatment of hypoglycemia, hypothermia, dehydration, electrolytes imbalance, infections, micronutrient deficiencies, the commencement of cautious feeding, catch-up growth, providing sensory stimulation, emotional support, and follow-up after recovery.

Regular intake of calories by introducing carbs, sugar, and fat before introducing protein, vitamins, and minerals helps treat it. Gradual increment of calories will pose no threat or aggravate the refeeding syndrome.

Most children might have problems handling foods like milk. It is advisable to slow down the feeding before introducing the children to the whole diet because damages caused to the intestines and bowel must be corrected.

Monitor blood volume of children and adults that experienced a shock.

Regions with limited food supply should try out cheap, tasteful, and healthy food, the quantity and quality of a food matter.

How to Prevent Kwashiorkor?

Preventing Kwashiorkor is an approach that fights against malnutrition. Prevention is better than cure. Here are the preventions:

There should be the availability of health infrastructure to prevent malnutrition.

Improvement of agriculture, for the cultivation of food crops.

Proper education on nutrition.

Pregnancy education for females.

What Are The Complications Associated With Kwashiorkor?

Kwashiorkor disease gets more complicated if less or no treatment is given, which can develop into other medical conditions. Parents should notice changes in their children could be physical, mental, or emotional changes. These complications are life-threatening. They are:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Digestive illness
• Urinary tract disease
• Death of the immune system
• Mental and physical disabilities
• Cellular disorder

A medical check-up is advisable to assess health status.

Marasmus

It is also a critical illness caused by undernourishment when there’s low-calorie intake- usually protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. Marasmus is slightly similar to kwashiorkor with some of its symptoms and treatment. It occurs in children who grow up in regions that are limited to food supply due to poverty or famines caused by parents who feed their kids with little food or breastfeeding mothers who weaned their babies earlier. Symptoms of marasmus include respiratory illness, loss of body water, diarrhea, mental disabilities, stunted growth, and stomach shrinkage.

Marasmus can be diagnosed with physical examination like checking the height, weight, and body swellings. Blood tests provide the needed information to go ahead with the treatment. Treating malnutrition is simply treating marasmus with proper consumption of a balanced diet. Milk contains required nutrients to treat marasmus, the presence of protein, and other nutrients to provide calories, after which other diets are added. Likewise, hydration helps treat marasmus.

Difference Between Marasmus and Kwashiorkor

Marasmus and kwashiorkor are mainly two types of illnesses related to undernourishment, and they have a few similar characteristics. Marasmus causes weight shredding and stomach shrinkage, while Kwashiorkor stops weight gain and causes stomach bulging. Likewise, marasmus leads to dehydration, but Kwashiorkor causes swelling of skin, arm, feet, and stomach.

Conclusion

In conclusion, under-nourishment and over-nourishment remain malnutrition. Every malnutrition is life-threatening. Seek your doctor’s consent if you feel you’re not taking enough diets. Your food intake contributes to your health in a greater way. Foods should always be about quantity and quality.

A balanced diet should contain all six divisions of foods (carbohydrates, protein, fats and oils, vitamins, minerals, and water). Each nutrient counts, and it’s not harmful to be picky with your meal, but ensure they are healthy foods like nuts, legumes, whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables, poultry e. t. c. Eat something balanced today. Your health is your wealth, and stay safe.