Lack of health knowledge leads children to malnutrition: Experts
Saturday, 14 January 2012
Lack of health knowledge among the people of Chalan Beel area in northern region of the country lead infant and young child to malnutrition, reports BSS.
According to health experts, large number of children under two years in Chalan Beel area in Singra Upazila of Natore district suffer from varied magnitude of malnutrition as most of the people do not have enough knowledge on health.
One year old boy Ruhani of Bablatola village under Gurudaspur Upazila, was admitted to Singra Upazila Hospital as he was attacked by pneumonia. On duty doctors of the hospital told the news agency that Ruhani is suffering from malnutrition.
Due to malnutrition, Ruhani is being frequently attacked by different diseases, which is hampering both his mental and physical growth, they added.
Ruby, mother of Ruhani said after birth of her child, she could not breast-feed to the baby. "As a result, I was forced to give animal milk to my child," she added.
Health condition of my child is not good and he often suffers from different diseases, Ruby added.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer of Singra Hospital of Natore Dr Belal Hossain said many children like Ruhani in Chalan Beel area are suffering from malnutrition due to lack of health knowledge of their parents on infant and young feeding practices.
Every mother has ability to give breast milk to her child but many mother like Ruby think it is their physical inability, he added.
He said many mothers face problem to give their children breastfeeding as they do not make proper position between mother's nipple and mouth of baby.
Due to the positioning problem of mother's breast while feeding her child many infant and young children are being deprived of breast milk, Dr Belal added.
According to Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS)-2007, weight-for-age results show that 41 per cent of children under five are underweight and 12 per cent are severely underweight.
It also said 43 per cent of children under five are little in size, and 16 per cent are very little than average size in comparison to their age.
According to health experts, large number of children under two years in Chalan Beel area in Singra Upazila of Natore district suffer from varied magnitude of malnutrition as most of the people do not have enough knowledge on health.
One year old boy Ruhani of Bablatola village under Gurudaspur Upazila, was admitted to Singra Upazila Hospital as he was attacked by pneumonia. On duty doctors of the hospital told the news agency that Ruhani is suffering from malnutrition.
Due to malnutrition, Ruhani is being frequently attacked by different diseases, which is hampering both his mental and physical growth, they added.
Ruby, mother of Ruhani said after birth of her child, she could not breast-feed to the baby. "As a result, I was forced to give animal milk to my child," she added.
Health condition of my child is not good and he often suffers from different diseases, Ruby added.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer of Singra Hospital of Natore Dr Belal Hossain said many children like Ruhani in Chalan Beel area are suffering from malnutrition due to lack of health knowledge of their parents on infant and young feeding practices.
Every mother has ability to give breast milk to her child but many mother like Ruby think it is their physical inability, he added.
He said many mothers face problem to give their children breastfeeding as they do not make proper position between mother's nipple and mouth of baby.
Due to the positioning problem of mother's breast while feeding her child many infant and young children are being deprived of breast milk, Dr Belal added.
According to Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS)-2007, weight-for-age results show that 41 per cent of children under five are underweight and 12 per cent are severely underweight.
It also said 43 per cent of children under five are little in size, and 16 per cent are very little than average size in comparison to their age.