Contents:
- Medical Video: Twenty-Seven Year Old Man Hasn't Reached Puberty -- The Doctors
- The body of a short child can be a sign of a stunting growth disorder
- How can I know if a child is short?
- What is the impact if the child is short since childhood?
- Can stunting still be overcome and corrected?
Medical Video: Twenty-Seven Year Old Man Hasn't Reached Puberty -- The Doctors
Most parents only see the development and growth of their children from weight alone. If you have enough weight or see that your child's cheeks are a bit runny, then the child is considered healthy. In fact, height is no less important to monitor. Many do not realize that short children are a problem that is quite bad nutrition for children's health. What is the impact of a child's short height? What caused it?
The body of a short child can be a sign of a stunting growth disorder
Stunting is a condition in which a child experiences a growth disorder that causes him to be shorter than his age. Many don't know that a short child is a sign of a little growth problem. Moreover, if stunting is experienced by children who are still under the age of 2 years. This must be dealt with immediately and appropriately. Because stunting is an event that cannot be returned as before if it has happened.
This condition is caused by insufficient nutritional intake of children, even since he was still in the womb. World Health Organization (WHO) states that 20% of the incidence of stunting occurs when the baby is still in the womb. This condition is caused by poor quality maternal intake during pregnancy, so that the nutrients received by the fetus are few. Finally, growth in the womb begins to be blocked and continues after birth.
In addition, stunting can also occur due to nutrient intake when a child under the age of 2 years is not fulfilled. Whether it's not given exclusive breastfeeding or MPASI (complementary food for breast milk) that is given less quality nutrients.
Many theories which state that the lack of food intake containing iron zinc and protein when a child is under five is one of the main factors causing this event.
How can I know if a child is short?
This you can actually know if you monitor the growth and development of your child since he was born. Some other symptoms and signs that occur if the child has a growth disorder:
- Body weight does not increase, and even tends to decrease
- Body development is hampered, like late menarche (girls' first menstruation)
- Children are susceptible to infectious diseases
Meanwhile, to know whether the child's height is normal or not, you should regularly check it to the nearest health service. For example, bring your child to the nearest Posyandu or Puskesmas every month.
What is the impact if the child is short since childhood?
Short children actually experience growth disorders. If it is not handled properly it will affect its growth until it grows up, not just physical impact. Following are the risks experienced by short or stunting children in the future.
- Difficulty learning
- His cognitive abilities are weak
- Easily tired and not agile compared to other children his age
- The risk for infection is higher
- The risk of experiencing various chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.) in adulthood
When you grow up, it is even reported that short children will have low productivity levels and have difficulty competing in the world of work. Yes, stunting is a nutritional problem that has an impact on older children if not treated immediately.
Can stunting still be overcome and corrected?
Unfortunately, stunting is a growth disorder that cannot be restored to normal. That is, when a child has been stunting or short since he was a toddler, then his growth will continue to be slow until he is an adult.
Moment puberty, he was unable to achieve maximum growth due to being stunted in childhood. Even though, you have given it foods that are rich in nutrients, but still the growth cannot be maximized.
However, it remains important for you to give variety high nutritious food in order to prevent the baby's condition from getting worse and the growth disturbances that he experienced were getting worse Therefore, actually this can be prevented by providing maximum nutrition at the beginning of his life, which is the first 1,000 days of life.
If you know that your child is experiencing this condition, then you should immediately consult your pediatrician, so that it is quickly resolved.
