Fighting child malnutrition. Physiopathological and practical aspects | La malnutrition de l'enfant. Des bases physiopathologiques a la prise en charge sur le terrain

The seriously undernourished child has become an archetype in the public imagination. He stares sadly out at us, and his wasted limbs barely have the strength to lift the bowl of food to his mouth donated by international aid. This child has a high risk of dying; in most hospitals in the developing world this risk fluctuates between 20 and 30 per cent, but can be as high as 60 per cent. Serious malnutrition is therefore just as dangerous as many infectious diseases such as measles, cholera or dysentry. These high mortality rates are unacceptable. Experience gained in humanitarian operations indicates that most of these children can be saved, and their fate considerably improved, by a rigorous application of treatment protocols which are relatively simple to implement. Mortality rates due to serious malnutrition cause little stir in the international community. Aid agencies often give priority to preventive action carried out in the population at the expense of curative action. Most cannot take on board medical assignments to solve a health problem the immediate or ultimate cause of which lies in poverty. Seriously undernourished children are thus forgotten, and pay a heavy price. The book "La malnutrition de l'enfant. Des bases physiopathologiques a la prise en charge sur le terrain" (Fighting child malnutrition. Physiopathological and practical aspects) is intended for all those confronted with the problem of child malnutrition. It is based on the conviction that a better understanding of its physiopathological background should provide better guidance for current programmes. It endeavours to describe serious malnutrition as a condition with a high risk of fatality, easy to diagnose and tackle efficiently, but difficult to prevent. This book also seeks to demonstrate that the use of industrial food products can play an important, albeit limited, role in the reduction of the number of cases of moderate malnutrition and in the eradication of serious malnutrition. It also shows the limits of food aid, and suggests that prevention programmes often require the reinforcement of the local agro-food industry. It considers the fact that current nutrition programmes are often inappropriate, since they are more concerned with projecting a flattering of themselves to the public rather than providing adequate nutrition. It underlines the squandering of funds brought about by badly planned aid, and seeks to present serious child malnutrition to all those concerned as a problem with a limited scope, one that technically speaking could be eradicated in years to come, on condition that it becomes a priority.