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Caring for Severely Malnourished Children

Document type:	Field
Topic:	Malnutrition
Author:	Ashworth A & Burgess A.
Date published:	January 2003

This book describes how to manage severely malnourished children in hospitals and other health units with inpatient facilities. Based on the WHO manual for physicians and other senior health workers on the management of severe malnutrition (WHO, 1999), and the WHO-IMCI guidelines on the management of the child with a serious infection or severe malnutrition (Management of the child with a serious infecton or severe malnutrition. Guidelines for care at the first referral level in developing countries. WHO, 2000), it describes ten treatment steps and why each is important. It also highlights the supportive role that mothers and other carers should play and suggests ways to involve them in providing care.

The book was written at the suggestion of African health workers who wanted something simple, practical and easy to read. In the view of the WHO departments of Nutrition for Health and Development and Child andAdolescent Health and Development, Ashworth and Burgess have faithfully translated the original two sets of WHO science-based operational guidelines.

Has been debate about whether the guidelines are correct (see FEX 20, pages 16-18) in terms of the role of breastfeeding and the choice of therapeutic feed (if any) to use in managing infants with SAM. Also to do with management of severe oedema, diarrhoea, blood transfusions and type of anitbiotics. Then in between 6-7 September 2004 there was a meeting to review current literature and discuss some of the issues - see in this library: SAM in children and infants - MEETING

Book available from local Macmillan offices see: www.macmillan-africa.com and TALC contact: info@talcuk.org The book is also available from TALC on CD ROM, which includes in addition a comprehensive guide for trainers 'Improving the Management of Severe Malnutrition' and the TALC slide set 'Treatment of Severely Malnourished Children'.

This resource appears in: Policy and technical guidance , Training tools

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