What are the external manifestations of malnutrition in newborns?

Newborns need to be supplemented with various nutrients in a timely manner to promote their physical, mental and intellectual growth. So what are the external manifestations of malnutrition in newborns? What should newborns eat if they are malnourished? The following editor will introduce you in detail.

Symptoms of malnutrition in newborns

Emotional changes: When children have abnormal emotions, you should be alert to the lack of certain nutrients in the body. For example, if a child becomes depressed, slow to react, and numb, it means that the body lacks protein and iron; if a child is worried, frightened, insomniac, and forgetful, it means that the body lacks B vitamins; if the mood is changeable and temper tantrums, it is related to eating too much sweets; if a child is stubborn, willful, timid, it is due to insufficient intake of vitamins A, B, C and calcium.

Abnormal behavior: Children who don't like to socialize, are withdrawn, and clumsy are often the result of a lack of vitamin C in the body; behaviors that are not commensurate with their age, and are childish and ridiculous compared to children of the same age, indicate insufficient intake of amino acids in the body; teeth grinding, twitching of hands and feet, and easy awakening at night are often a sign of calcium deficiency; eating confetti, coal slag, soil, etc. is often related to a lack of iron, zinc, manganese and other elements.

Excessive obesity: Some obese children are caused by bad eating habits such as picky eating and partial eating, which leads to insufficient intake of certain "micronutrients". These "micronutrients" mainly include vitamin B6, B12, niacin, zinc, iron and other elements. If they are lacking, the body's fat cannot be metabolized normally, so it accumulates in the abdomen and subcutaneous tissue, and the child naturally has a big belly and a round waist, and is overweight.

Facial "worm spots": People believe that "worm spots" on children's faces are a sign of ascariasis in the stomach, but this is not the case. This change, characterized by superficial dry, scaly, light-colored spots, is actually a skin disease called "simple pityriasis", which is caused by vitamin deficiency and is also an early manifestation of malnutrition.

Others: Early symptoms of malnutrition include nausea, vomiting, anorexia, constipation, diarrhea, reduced sleep, chapped lips, stomatitis, dermatitis, twitching of hands and feet, ataxia, chorea, muscle weakness, etc.

What to eat for malnourished newborns

People with malnutrition should eat protein-rich foods, such as skim milk, formula milk, soy milk, egg yolk powder, fish paste, liver paste, meat paste, etc.

Malnutrition: Eating foods rich in fat, such as vegetable oils, butter, and various meats.

People with malnutrition should eat foods rich in carbohydrates, such as rice soup, noodle paste, lotus root powder, porridge, vegetable and fruit soup, etc.

Malnutrition: Eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals, such as fresh fruit juice, vegetable juice, etc.