The New Nation - Internet Edition

Md. Sazedul Islam

The condition of under five children is very risky in our country. At this age, they fall to various diseases and many of them lose their life being suffered from malnutrition. Death risk caused by malnutrition is reduced to large extent after passing of this age.

Children who are deprived of proper care and balanced food turn sick, their cognitive development hampered and later become burden to society as well as family. If the children get proper food, their physical and mental growth is developed which help them grow up in proper manner.

However, lack of awareness about food, ignorance about nutritious food and neglect caused by malnutrition affected many of our people, said Mojibur Rahman Khoinkuti, Senior Medical Technologist (Food), Institute of Public Health Nutrition, Mahakhali, Dhaka.

Children of poor people may grow up properly if they have sufficient breastfeeding at first six month after birth. After the first six-month, they should be given sufficient nutritious food for their growth.

If they don't get this, their growth is hampered that caused physical and psychological problem.

An underage child needs more protein than aged man. Protein is needed for an underage child because it is the basis for formation of body.

On the other hand, pregnant woman need more protein and minerals during this time, because foetus take elements from the food of mother for its body formation.

Expectant mother needs proper food for maintaining her natural body weight. If a pregnant woman's body weight remain less than normal, untimely abortion may occur or she may be affected by complex diseases like toxema, and eclampsia that may cause mother's death.

During pregnancy, lack of nutritious food cause more damages to foetus. It hampers the physical growth of foetus, hence a immatured, disabled or a dead child is given birth. So additional food is needed for the growth of foetus.

A pregnant woman need more iron-riched food for meeting iron need. A pregnant woman is likely to fall victim to anemia due to lack of iron. So, she should take additional iron through tablet.

The demand for calcium of pregnant woman increases for bone formation of her child. If possible, a mother should take half kg of milk daily, because milk contain sufficient calcium and it easily fit into body.

The demand for daily protein for a pregnant woman enhances by 10 gram, which is used for increasing foetus, uterus and breast and blood making. She should take more fish, meat, eggs, milk and pulse for meeting the demand of protein.

A pregnant mother should take foods properly for keeping her health well and future child's health fit and for growth of her child. She should take rice, ruti, pulse, potato, green leaf, fruits, fish, meat, milk and eggs than in other times, because it will keep her health well and also her child strong and healthy.

A pregnant woman must take all types of foods in much quantity for getting a strong and healthy child.

During pregnancy, a woman may fall to anamae due to rise in demand for iron. She may be affected by any disease for anamea and her death risk may increase during post-delivery bleeding for anamea during pregnancy period.

Weight of both mother and child is disrupted due to anamea during pregnancy. A premature baby may be given to birth with less body weight.

The children who are born with less weight lack the necessary amount of iron like other elements, hence, they may be easily affected any disease and it enhance their death risk.

A mother can ensure the nutrition of her foetus by taking foods as per nutrition demand before and after pregnancy till delivery.

A baby is more likely to be given birth with less weight if a girl becomes pregnant at under age. Any girl should not marry before the age 18 and not be pregnant before 20 years of her age.

Short, lean and malnourished mother only gives birth to baby with less weight, which in later life bring serious consequences for children.

Due to less body weight during birth, chances of child mortality and being affected by diseases are more likely. They lose their resistance power against contagious diseases and they frequently fall to diarrhoea and pain respiratory system.

If a pregnant woman lack iodine, she is more likely to give birth to fool child. Lack of sufficient iodine cause irreparable damages to brain and neurology of the child.

Those women who suffer from iodine deficiency are more likely to face abortion and to give birth to dead or disabled child than other women.

Those children who suffer from iodine deficiency are more likely to fall to malnutrition than other children and their disease prevention capacity also get reduced. The death risk also increase for iodine deficiency.

The demand for nutrition elements for the under five children is more than the grown up man as their body weight increases at every six months till the age two, said Khoinkuti.

Under age children need protein for their quick growth and body formation. So the amount of both quality and quantity of protein should be ensured in the food of children. Demand for calorie for children is more than their parents because of more body growth than grown up man. Breast milk only don't meet the requirement of a child after passing of six month.

Since six month, they should be given other foods along with human milk. This food is called complementary food for children. If the children are provided only breastmilk or other milk and are not given complementary foods, then they may gradually become sick and thin which is called marasmas caused by lack of necessary protein and calorie.

On the other hand, various symptoms may ensue in child's body due to lack of necessary protein if only carbohydrate are given to them as complementary food.

These symptoms are body swelling with water, disruption of body growth, slight reduction of body weight and lack of feelings and interest.

Another serious malnutrition of children of this year is various eye diseases caused by vitamins and children become completely blind if this malnutrition continue.

Many of our children turn blind due to lack of Vitamin-A every year. Intake of huge quantity of vegetables and yellow coloured fruits can solve the Vitamin-A deficiency. The above-mentioned two types of may affect children in two-year age but protein deficiency malnutrition is seen within first one year of age.

Many of poor children suffer from intestinal diseases and malnutrition due to living in unhygienic environment. Khoinkuti advised mothers to breastfeed their children during first six months to keep their children free from intestinal diseases.

Children should not be provided food now and then. Intake of excess foods may cause trouble in their liver and hamper digestive system. A child remain healthy with sound body if they get foods timely and as per quantity.

(PID-UNICEF Feature)