The Perception Of Parents Towards Malnutrition

The Perception Of Parents Towards Malnutrition 

Chapter One

Preface

Background of the Study

Malnutrition is a term which refers to both under nutrition( sub nutrition) and over nutrition( rotundity). It can also be defined as the inadequate, inordinate or imbalance consumption of nutrients. Nutrition plays a critical part in the capability of a growing child to develop well to majority as malnutrition causes suppressed growth, muscle wasting, insufficiency of colorful vitamins especially vitamin A and Zinc mineral. The Oxford advanced learners wordbook( 2010) defines malnutrition as a poor health condition performing from either lack of food or the right type of food. The World Health Organization( WHO, 2010) defines malnutrition as deficiency in the necessary quantum ofmicro-elements demanded for the normal metabolism and functioning of the body similar as potassium, manganese, iron and magnesium. It’s good of note that there’s an increased nutrient demand during early growth and development in utero and in redundant uterine life. According to the National Health Service( NHS) United Kingdom. It’s estimated that about three million people are affected by malnutrition and one in every three persons admitted to sanitarium or care homes in the United Kingdom are set up to be glutted or at threat of malnourishment. Black et al( 2013) estimate that under nutrition is the cause of three million child deaths annually. In Africa, it’s estimated that an increase from 31 in the time 1990 to 43 in the time 2005 of deaths do due to malnutrition, as a result10.6 million deaths of under- five children every time( World Health Organization, 2015). In Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health estimates that 41 of Nigerian children under age five times are glutted, this accounts to1.1 million deaths( Punch News, 2015).

Statement of the Problem

Malnutrition in growing children is one of the major causes of child morbidity and mortality as over to 33 of children who die in Nigeria is due to the problem of malnutrition. At least 30 – 50 of all nonage death and 10 – 40 sanitarium admissions in developing countries do as a result of malnutrition( WHO 2005).

Among growing children severe under nutrition increases threat of morbidity because glutted children are susceptible to infection and with disabled cognitive development, poor social and emotional achievement and low profitable productivity. In order to make a sustainable impact, intervention need to address direct cause and also the contextual factor poverty has been linked as a important determinant of severe malnutrition, the path way for this is complex. bettered profitable performance has not automatically led to bettered nutritive status, poverty increases vulnerability to poor nutritive outgrowth, a significant number of children brought up in poverty thrive. thus, acceptable food is only one factor that’s important.

The integration of psychosocial stimulation( the exposure of a child to a variety of gests and the stimulant to explore the terrain) into nutritive programs has been set up to be an important element in adequately addressing malnutrition. This involves the development of parenthood chops and creation of change in the relationship between the parent and child. In any nutritive intervention, thus knowledge of the beliefs and actions of parents is an important consideration.

As a first step in marshaling coffers to develop an applicable intervention, a study was made to find out what’s the parent comprehensions towards malnutrition as a health problem in growing children, in a community like Gongi where the mama is the care giver and generally the parent who accompanies a child to sanitarium for the treatment of severe malnutrition, it’s the parent who’s the key to prostrating the consequences of severe malnutrition.

The end of the present exploration is thus to answer the question “ what are the comprehensions of parents towards malnutrition as a health problem in growing children at Gongi clinic.

Objects of the Study

i. The study aims to determine the perception of parents towards malnutrition.

ii. To identify the cause of malnutrition.

iii. To identify the consequences of malnutrition.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will enable the experimenter understand the causes OF malnutrition, ascertain the goods of malnutrition and know maters perception about malnutrition. The study will also help maters realize the consequences of malnutrition, the knowledge of the prevalence of malnutrition among growing children will enable Gongi clinic to educate parents more on the forestallment of malnutrition.

Exploration Questions

i. What are the causes of malnutrition in growing children?

ii. How does malnutrition affect the growth and development of children?

iii. What are the perception of nursing maters towards malnutrition?

Compass of the Study

The exploration design covers parents attending Gongi clinic Maiduguri original government area Borno state on the issue of perception of parent towards malnutrition in growing children as a health problem.

Limitations

Delay in collecting questionnaires as the guests visit the Infant Welfare Clinic in different days, difficulty in getting customer attention and fiscal difficulty.