Many of the effects of malnutrition can be reversed if the child has a mild case that is diagnosed early. If your child is a picky eater and you suspect he may be lacking nutrition, make an appointment with his pediatrician. She will examine him and look for signs of malnutrition. She may ask you what foods he likes and how much he eats on a daily basis. She may also ask him to step on the scales and measure his height in order to check his body mass. This will tell her if your child’s body mass is in a healthy range. She may also order a series of blood tests so she can use the results to give a proper diagnosis. CT scans and x-rays can also assist in determining if bones or organs are showing signs of malnutrition.
Treatment of malnutrition depends largely on what is causing it. Your child’s pediatrician may recommend he see a dietician who can recommend changes to his diet and the amount of food that he ingests.
Picky Eaters
If your child lives to exist on hot dogs or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you may be worried about his nutritional needs and if he may suffer from mild malnutrition. This is not likely the case unless he isn’t growing at a normal rate for his age. Few children in North America suffer from severe malnutrition like the cases seen in underdeveloped countries. As long as nutritional food is offered and available, your picky eater will ingest enough food to meet his nutritional needs. Be sure to offer a wide variety of healthy fruits and snacks and cut off all sources to junk food.
If your child still fails to grow at a normal rate, or if he displays any signs or symptoms of malnutrition, consult his pediatrician immediately and let her determine why he is not growing and developing normally.