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Management of Malnutrition in Children Under Five Years
Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition
Diagnosis of Acute Malnutrition
Anthropometric Measurement Techniques
Before admission into therapeutic/supplementary feeding programs, it is common practice to retake anthropometric measurements for every
child referred by the community and/or primary health care settings. This is called a two-stage process. This ensures more
control by the treatment-facility but may lead to children being referred but not admitted.
Some programs are introducing the one-stage process, in which referral from community/primary health care settings entitle a
child to admission without retaking anthropometric measurements. This enables the treatment-facility to function more efficiently by
reducing delays and overcrowding but may have implications for the size of the program (particularly for supplementary feeding).
Before admission into therapeutic/supplementary feeding programs, it is common practice to take all the following anthropometric measurements:
However, some treatment-facilities are using only
Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screening and bilateral
oedema
to confirm admission into therapeutic/supplementary feeding programs.
Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screening and bilateral oedema are explained
in the Early
Detection and Referral of Children with Acute Malnutrition section.
02 January, 2009
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