Delayed growth of the baby
During the first years of life, Babies and children grow faster that during the rest of their lives, although sometimes these do not develop properly. It is what is known as stunted growth.Children with stunting are those who do not gain weight as they should, which is also accompanied by a short increase in height.
Most diagnoses are made during the first three years of life, a key period for physical and mental development.
Babies usually double their birth weight at 4 months, and triple it at one year, parameters not met by a child with a delay in growth. This anomaly can cause children to lose interest in their environment, become irritable or not get to speak or walk at the usual ages.
The growth and development of the baby
The increase is the proper development of our body, that depends on factors such as an adequate supply of nutrients with a complete and balanced diet, the correct functioning of our systems so that these nutrients get to the cells, the functioning of these cells through hormones and the psycho-affective environment. Growth is a dynamic effect but it is not constant, it also depends on some occasional diseases.
To measure growth, we use the percentiles that are used to measure the proper development of children. They are growth curves that reflect the expected rates for a child depending on age and sex.
The percentiles measure height, weight, cranial perimeter, subcutaneous folds, and the brachial perimeter. The measure that is most related to growth is size, but wrongly the parents give more weight importance.
Causes of delayed growth of the baby
There are two types of causes of growth retardation: organic and non-organic.
1. They are organic causes inadequate intake of food, anorexia, defective digestion, excessive loss of nutrients or abnormal caloric requirements due to chronic diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, etc.
2. They are non-organic causes those caused by an adverse psychosocial environment, because they are sick children or with sleep disorders, disorder of the food situation, stress or poverty, exposure to tobacco, drugs or alcohol during pregnancy, as a premature child or due to delay in intrauterine growth.
Advice against the stunting of children
To alleviate the delay in growth or failure of medro as it is also called, we present the following tips:
- If it is due to lack of calories, feed the child when he asks for it.
- Prepare the milk according to the instructions.
- Consult the pediatrician or the nutritionist.
- Apply a vitamin supplement according to the medical prescription.
- Try to make your child's diet the best complete and healthy possible and make sure you eat properly.
Marisol Nuevo Espín
