Describe three deficiency diseases stating their management and prevention

1.Kwashiorkor
It caused by lack of proteins in the diet. It often affects children if 1-3 years who are weaned off the breast early and not provided with sufficient proteins as a supplementary diet
Symptoms
- Growth failure:- the weight and height are below normal for the age, however, where there is gross oedema or swelling the weight may appear satisfactory
- Swelling (oedema) of the face, hands and legs. It may also be spread to other parts in severe cases
- Wasting of muscles which is often masked by oedema and therefore not always easily noticed
- The hair looks thin, straight, brownish and silky and easily pulled out and golden appearance
- The skin especially the face may be lighter in colour than normal. In severe cases the skin on swollen parts peels off in patches exposing raw wounds
- The child looks miserable and very irritable and inactive
- The child may have frequency of diarrhea characterized with loose stool with an offensive smell due to failure to digest food
- Anaemia:- it may also be present because protein is needed to synthesize red blood cells
- Ulcers and cracks:- these may be deep especially behind and around the ears
- In severe cases, brain development may be impaired
- Enlargement liver which can be felt in the right abdomen below the ribs and arises in fatty changes in the liver

Prevention
- Babies must be fed as long as possible. When weaning them off the breast, sufficient amounts of protein foods should be included in the diet
- Babies and young children under 5 should be taken to maternal or child welfare clinics regularly for check-ups
- The child stool is examined in the hospital often to check for worms. Worms are known to cause malnutrition by depriving the child of digested foods
- Children should be shown love and concern by parents and other people with whom the child interacts since miserable children are likely to loose appetite
- Food taboos and other nutritionally undesirable foods habits that prohibit children from eating foods rich in proteins should be discouraged

Management
- Children suffering from severe kwashiorkor should be to hospital for proper diagnosis, treatment and advice because the disease is usually accompanied by other complications like ulcers, oedema which can only be dealt with in hospital
- The diet should consist mainly of protein rich food together with other nutrients that make a balanced meal
- High standards of hygiene should be maintained when handling and preparing the child’s food to avoid poisoning and infestation by worms as both can worse the child’s conditioning.

2.MARASMUS
Caused by an unhealthy and excessive deficiency of almost all nutrients especially calves and protein. It is a type of serious protein energy malnutrition characterized by energy deficiency. It occurs due to lack of all kinds of nutrients usually happens due to starvation, poverty, natural disasters etc especially in children at the age of 1-2 years

Symptoms
- The child looks emaciated since body weight is reduced to up 80% of normal weight for a patient’s height
- Dry skin and loose skin folds
- Muscle and tissue wasting
- Oedema
- Behavior changes
- Drastic loss of adipose tissue from areas where fat deposits are normally present such as thighs and buttocks
- Severe growth retardation

Prevention
- Food the child with a well balanced diet with plenty of proteins
- Any contributing disease should be treated immediately
- In severe cases the victim should be hospitalized

3.ANAEMIA
Nutritional anemia is caused by deficiency of nutrients required for the formation of R.B.Cs. nutrient essential for formation of normal blood cells are iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and vitamin C

Symptoms
- Weakness
- Fatigue and lethargy (signs of mild anaemia)
- A pale skin
- Lack of colour in the creases of the palm, gums, nail beds or lining of the eye eyelids
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Breathlessness
- A feeling of faint/dizzy
- Headaches
- Pica ( craving for abnormal things such as ice)
- Inability to concentrate and memory loss
- Inflammation of the mouth or tongue
- Insomnia
- Irregular heartbeat
- Loss of appetite
- Rapid breathing
- Sweating
- Thirst

Prevention
- Adequate iron-containing foods must be included to form a part of the diet
- Treatment for worm should be done regularly and good personal hygiene followed
- Iron supplements should be given if found necessary especially during pregnancy or adolescence
- Any contributing infection should be treated

4.SCURVY
It is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. It leads to the formation of spots on the skin, spongy gums and bleeding from the mucous membranes. The spots are usually abundant on the thighs and legs

Symptoms
- Feeling depressed
- Partially immobilization
- Bleeding gums and capillaries
- Long healing of wounds
- Bleeding under the skin and the joints

Prevention
-Adequate diet:- sources include citrus fruits, berries, capsicum, parsley, pawpaw, green leafy vegetables, vitamin C supplements and extreme cases ascorbic acid be administered in synthetic form.

5.RICKETS AND OESTOMALACIA
Rickets: - is a suffering of bones in children potentially leading to fractures and deformity. The predominant cause is a vitamin D deficiency that usually occurs in children.
Oestomalacia: - it is the equivalent of rickets but occurs in adults and especially those on poor diet and depleted on calcium by years of pregnancy.

Symptoms of rickets
- Bone pair or tendencies
- Dental problems
- Muscle weakness increase tendency for fractures (easily broken bones)
- Skeletal deformity;
i. Toddlers- bowed legs
ii. Older children- knock knees
iii. Cranial, spinal and pelvic deformities
- Growth redundancy
- Hypotealemed (low level of calcium in the blood)
- Tetary ( uncontrolled muscle spasms all over the body)
- Soft skill.

Symptom of oestomalacia
- Weak bones
- Bone pain especially leg bones and lower part of the back.
- Muscles weakness
- Hypocalcemia
- Easy fracturing

Prevention and Treatment
- Exposure to direct and sufficient sunlight
- Eating food rich in vitamin D
- Calcium and phosphorous intake should also be increased
- Supplements may be administered in some cases
- Adequate diet should be given

6.PELLAGRA
Pellagra is a disease that is caused due to lack of Niacin (Vit B3) in the body

Symptoms of pellagra
- Skin iritative and sore that resemble scaly or dry skin in severe state or ever large weeping sores.
- Diarrhea
- Inflamed mucous membranes causing someone to have a sore mouth
- High sensitivity to light
- Aggressive behaviour and insomniac
- Mental confusion
- Dementia if the disease goes untreated

Treatment and prevention of pellagra
- A dose of niacin can be administered as prescribed by the physician

- To prevent this disease militias a properly balanced diet

Sources of food rich in niacin are:-
- Yeast
- All kinds of meats especially liver and fish
- Beans and soy products such as kidney beans, pinto and beans
- Milk
- Green leafy vegetables e.g. lettuce, kale and spinach
- Sunflower seeds

BERIBERI
This is a nervous system ailment caused by a deficiency of thimine (Vitamin Bi) in the diet.

Symptoms
- Severe lethargy and fatigue
- Complications affecting the cardiovascular, nervous, muscular and gastrointestinal system
There are two types of Beriberi i.e.
Wet beriberi- Affects the cardiovascular system
Dry beriberi affects the nervous system
It occur mostly in patients who abuse alcohol

- Symptoms of dry beriberi
- Difficulty in walking
- Lack of sensation in hands and feet’s
- Loss of muscle functions or paralysis of the lower legs
- Mental confusions or speech difficulties
- Pain
- Strange eye movement (nystagmus)
- Tingling
- Vomiting

Symptoms of wet beriberi
- A wakening at night short of breath
- Increased heart beat rate
- Shortness of breath with activity
- Swelling of the lower legs.

Prevention
- Eating a proper diet that is rich in thiamine and other vitamins will prevent beriberi
- Nursing mothers should make sure that their diet contains vitamins
- People who drink heavily should try to cut down or quit, and take vitamins B to make sure their body is properly absorbing and storing thiamine.

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Titany answered the question on October 6, 2021 at 07:20