Severe acute malnutrition
Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. It is characterized by extreme weight loss and/or swelling of the legs and feet due to fluid retention, known as edema.
Pronunciation
Severe Acute Malnutrition is pronounced as /sɪˈvɪər əˈkjuːt ˌmælnʊˈtrɪʃən/.
Etymology
The term "Severe Acute Malnutrition" is derived from the Latin words "severus" meaning severe, "acutus" meaning sharp or pointed, and "malnutritio" meaning bad nourishment.
Definition
Severe Acute Malnutrition is defined by a very low weight for height (below -3z scores of the median WHO growth standards), by visible severe wasting, or by the presence of nutritional edema.
Related Terms
- Malnutrition: A condition that results from eating a diet in which one or more nutrients are either not enough or are too much such that it causes health problems.
- Edema: A condition characterized by an excess of watery fluid collecting in the cavities or tissues of the body.
- Wasting: A severe process of weight loss which occurs in the context of illness.
- Stunting: A reduced growth rate in human development, often a result of malnutrition.
Treatment
Treatment for Severe Acute Malnutrition involves therapeutic feeding with a diet rich in energy, protein, and micronutrients, along with careful management of complications. This can be done in a hospital setting or at home with ready-to-use therapeutic foods like Plumpy'Nut.
Prevention
Prevention strategies for Severe Acute Malnutrition include promoting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, adequate complementary feeding, and addressing micronutrient deficiencies.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Severe acute malnutrition
- Wikipedia's article - Severe acute malnutrition
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski