Malnutrition in Children: symptoms, causes & treatment in Nigeria
Also known as kwashiorkor, marasmus, failure to thrive.
This page is general health information, not a diagnosis. Always consult a licensed clinician about your own health.
Overview
Child malnutrition — from underweight and stunting to severe forms like kwashiorkor (swollen malnutrition) and marasmus (severe wasting) — remains a major threat to Nigerian children, weakening immunity and impairing brain development. It often hides behind frequent infections and poor growth. Early recognition and proper feeding support recover most children fully.
Symptoms
Poor weight gain or visible weight loss
A child much smaller or shorter than peers
Swollen feet, legs or face with skin and hair changes (kwashiorkor)
Severe thinness with loose skin folds (marasmus)
Frequent infections and slow recovery
Weakness, irritability or unusual quietness
Poor appetite
Causes & risk factors
Inadequate food quantity or variety, especially protein
Early stopping of breastfeeding or poor complementary feeding
Repeated infections — diarrhoea, malaria, measles
Poverty and food insecurity
Poor feeding knowledge and practices
Treatment & self-care
Severe malnutrition needs urgent clinical assessment — therapeutic feeding programmes with ready-to-use therapeutic foods are available through many health centres, and complicated cases need admission. Moderate cases improve with enriched, frequent meals built from affordable local foods (eggs, beans, groundnut, fish, pap fortified properly) guided by a health worker or dietitian. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months, diverse complementary foods, immunisation and deworming prevent it.
See a doctor urgently if
Visible wasting or swelling of the feet and legs — urgent
A child refusing feeds or too weak to eat — emergency
Weight loss or no weight gain over months
Malnutrition with diarrhoea, fever or fast breathing
A drowsy or floppy malnourished child — emergency
Frequently asked questions
What are the first signs of Malnutrition in Children?
Early signs often include poor weight gain or visible weight loss, a child much smaller or shorter than peers, swollen feet, legs or face with skin and hair changes (kwashiorkor). Symptoms vary from person to person, so a proper assessment by a doctor is the only way to be sure.
Can Malnutrition in Children be treated?
Severe malnutrition needs urgent clinical assessment — therapeutic feeding programmes with ready-to-use therapeutic foods are available through many health centres, and complicated cases need admission. Moderate cases improve with enriched, frequent meals built from affordable local foods (eggs, beans, groundnut, fish, pap fortified properly) guided by a health worker or dietitian. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months, diverse complementary foods, immunisation and deworming prevent it.
When should I see a doctor about Malnutrition in Children?
See a doctor promptly if you notice: visible wasting or swelling of the feet and legs — urgent; a child refusing feeds or too weak to eat — emergency; weight loss or no weight gain over months; malnutrition with diarrhoea, fever or fast breathing; a drowsy or floppy malnourished child — emergency.
See an MDCN-verified doctor about malnutrition in children by video, audio or chat — then order medicine, book a lab test or get a home visit from the same app.