![]() These tests can help determine the extent of the protein and nutrient deficiency and identify any underlying medical conditions that may be contributing to the malnutrition. ![]() Laboratory tests that may be performed to confirm a diagnosis of kwashiorkor include a complete blood count, serum protein levels, and liver function tests.A healthcare provider will also typically ask about the child’s diet and check for signs of anemia, muscle wasting, and stunted growth. The primary diagnostic criteria for kwashiorkor include edema, changes in hair color and texture, skin lesions, and a distended abdomen.As of 2008, the prevalence of children under age five who were underweight was 26 percent.Kwashiorkor is diagnosed based on a combination of clinical and laboratory findings, as well as dietary information. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the most prominent agency with the mission of changing the world to improve children’s lives, reports that undernutrition causes at least one-third of deaths of young children. ![]() Undernutrition is intricately linked with suppression of the immune system at multiple levels, so undernourished children commonly die from severe diarrhea and/or pneumonia resulting from bacterial or viral infection. Although organ system function is compromised by undernutrition, the ultimate cause of death is usually infection. Children with the combined syndrome have variable amounts of edema and the characterizations and symptoms of marasmus. Kwashiorkor and marasmus often coexist as a combined syndrome termed marasmic kwashiorkor. Japanese nurse with dependent children having typical appearance of malnutrition, New Bilibid Prison, September-October 1945 by Unknown / Public Domain
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