Protein malnutrition is a severe form of nutritional deficiency in which children lack enough protein in their diet. This condition occurs most often in areas where famine and limited food supplies exist, in poor countries and in areas where parents lack access to adequate nutritional sources, as a result of natural disasters, war or political unrest.
The Facts
According to MedlinePlus, protein malnutrition is rare among children in the United States, although sporadic cases do occur. Protein malnutrition tends to be more common among the elderly, particularly if living in a nursing home. If a child suffers from protein malnutrition in the United States, it is usually related to child abuse and neglect.
Primary Protein Malnutrition
According to the Merck Manual, there are two types of protein malnutrition. Primary protein malnutrition results from inadequate intake. Children can suffer from two forms of primary protein malnutrition: marasmus, which causes depletion of muscle tissue and fat, and kwashiorkor, which results from a more protein deficient diet. Children with kwashiorkor usually have a diet of simple carbohydrates and no protein.
Secondary Protein Malnutrition
Secondary protein malnutrition results from conditions or drugs that interfere with the child's ability to absorb ingested protein. These include conditions that interfere with the function of the gastrointestinal tract, like enteritis or inflammation of the intestines; conditions that cause wasting, like cancer and AIDS; and conditions that increase the body's energy requirements, like trauma and burns.
Symptoms
The symptoms of protein malnutrition in children include weakness, diarrhea, loss of muscle mass and severe weight loss. Children with kwashiorkor have edema, or appear swollen, as the lack of proteins allows fluids inside the blood vessels to leak out in to the surrounding tissues. This results in protrusion of the abdomen as the liver and the intestines become swollen. The skin becomes thin and fragile, and the hair thins and easily falls out. Children with marasmus will look severely malnourished, with the facial bones and ribs sticking out and the skin hanging out in folds. Protein malnutrition weakens the immune system, predisposing the child to severe infections, and can cause heart, liver and kidney failure.
Treatment
Initial treatment might include liquid oral supplements. If diarrhea is persistent, lactose intolerance may be present, requiring a lactose-free diet. Severe malnutrition requires a controlled diet in a monitored hospital setting to prevent electrolyte imbalances and refeeding syndrome, a condition that results from suddenly feeding someone who has been severely malnourished and which can be potentially fatal.
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