What causes your baby to become weak?

Your baby may be suffering from protein-energy malnutrition. Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is a type of disease caused due to decreased intake of food and deficient protein in the food most commonly seen in children and to the debilitated and uncared.

Protein energy malnutrition is a disease of the poor , undernourished and chronically ill patient characterized by the imbalance between the supply of nutrient and energy and the body’s demand for them to ensure growth, maintenance of health and function of the body.

This condition occurs as a result of a relative or absolute deficiency of energy and proteins. It may be primarily due to inadequate food intake or secondary, as a result of other illness. Treatment of severe malnutrition is a slow process requiring great care. Initial efforts should be directed at correcting fluid and electrolyte abnormalities and infections.

The treatment should be stared immediately after diagnosis.

The initial treatment depends on correcting the fluid and electrolytes imbalance for first 24-48 hrs and to start energy and protein rich food appropriate for the grade of malnutrition and given under a nutritionist guidance supplementing the macronutrient deficient orally as soon as possible.

After 1 week, intake rates should approach 175 kcal/kg and 4 g/kg for the children to be started and a multivitamin tablet also to be started with zinc paste for wounds to heal and child is monitored continuously with a growth chart the improvement and the necessary intervention.