A small child has normal weight,but his arms and legs are thin,whereas his belly and face appear swollen.His mother tells you that the only food they have had in the house for the past 3 weeks is noodles and some bread.The child probably has

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The child probably has kwashiorkor caused by inadequate protein intake with adequate energy intake (noodles and bread provide carbohydrate but little protein).Marasmus is caused by inadequate intakes of both energy and protein and is characterized by extreme wasting in the entire body.Acute infection or malabsorption syndromes may exacerbate malnutrition but are not the primary cause.

A Small Child Has Normal Weight,but His Arms and Legs