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Introducción: El predominio y asequibilidad actual de los teléfonos móviles inteligentes han permitido una amplia difusión de variedad de aplicaciones a nivel mundial para el monitoreo del crecimiento y del estado nutricional de los lactantes. No obstante, la mayoría de estos recursos no son lo suficientemente completos para proveer una interfaz amigable de seguimiento del crecimiento, combinada con una adecuada educación parental en materia de nutrición y alimentación complementaria. Objetivos: Este trabajo pretende presentar el desarrollo y evaluación de la aplicación propuesta "Baby Home", con el fin de estudiar su potencial como herramienta digital de apoyo a padres y cuidadores en el cuidado nutricional de sus niños desde el hogar. Materiales y métodos: Baby Home integra una interfaz de seguimiento interactivo del crecimiento del bebé con una serie de contenidos educativos alimentarios, posibilitando al usuario consultar las prácticas recomendadas según el estado nutricional estimado de su bebé. Un conjunto de 7 jueces expertos fue reunido para evaluar la validez de estos contenidos consignados en la aplicación. Posteriormente, se llevó a cabo un estudio de prueba piloto con 8 madres participantes, las cuales aportaron en las fortalezas y debilidades de las funcionalidades propuestas. Resultados: la aplicación desarrollada muestra una aprobación positiva por los especialistas consultados y una aceptación satisfactoria entre las madres participantes gracias a su diseño amigable y funcionalidades de fácil uso. Los recursos visuales implementados prueban ser adecuados para la apropiación de los contenidos alimentarios y el empoderamiento del usuario en torno a los cuidados nutricionales que requieren sus niños. Conclusiones: Baby Home se ubica como un soporte práctico y accesible para el cuidado nutricional del lactante, otorgando seguridad y confianza al usuario en la alimentación de su niño y disponiendo la posibilidad de detectar oportunamente problemas de crecimiento.
Introduction: The current prevalence and affordability of smartphones have enabled a broad diffusion of a variety of mobile applications worldwide for monitoring infant's growth and nutritional status. However, most of these resources are not comprehensive enough to provide a user-friendly interface for growth tracking combined with proper parental education on nutrition and complementary feeding. Objectives: This work aims to present the development and evaluation of the proposed application "Baby Home", in order to study its potential as a digital tool for supporting parents and caregivers in the nutritional care of their children from home. Materials and methods: Baby Home integrates an interactive baby growth monitoring interface with a collection of educational content on infant feeding, allowing the user to check the recommended practices based on the estimated nutritional status of their baby. A panel of seven expert judges was assembled to evaluate the validity of these contents included in the application. Subsequently, a pilot study was carried out with eight participating mothers who contributed to the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed functionalities. Results: The developed application received positive feedback by the consulted specialists and a satisfactory acceptance within the participating mothers thanks to its friendly design and easy-to-use functionalities. The implemented visual resources proved to be well suited for the user's appropriation of feeding contents and their empowerment regarding the nutritional care required by their children. Conclusions: Baby Home is positioned as a practical and accessible support for the nutritional care of infants, providing safeness and confidence to the user in their child's feeding and the possibility of timely detection of growth problems.
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Objective: To determine the burden of early growth faltering and understand the care practices for small and sick babies discharged from newborn units in the district. Study design: Observational and follow-up study. Participants: 512 babies discharged from two Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) and four Newborn Stabilization Units (NBSUs) in two districts of Himachal Pradesh. Methods: Anthropometric assessments, interview of mothers and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) conducted between August, 2018 and March, 2019. Change in weight-forage z-score (?WAZ) of <-0.67SD between birth and assessment was used to define growth faltering. Outcomes: Proportion of growth faltering (or catch-down growth) in small and sick babies discharged from SNCUs and NBSUs, and infant care practices. Results: Growth faltering was observed in a significant proportion of both term (30%) and preterm (52.6%) babies between 1 to 4 months of age. Among babies with growth faltering (n=180), 73.9% received a home visit by ASHA, and only 36.7% received a follow-up visit at a facility. There were 71.3% mothers counselled at discharge (mostly informed about breast feeding). Most (96.7%) mothers did not perceive inadequate weight gain in their babies post-discharge. During home visits, ASHAs weighed 61.6% of the infants with growth faltering. Amongst infants who had growth faltering, only 49.6% of mothers had been provided information about their infant’s growth and 57.1% mothers had received breastfeeding counselling. Conclusion: Small and sick newborn infants (both term and preterm babies) discharged from special care newborn units are at increased risk of early growth faltering. Follow-up care provided to these infants is inadequate. There is a need to strengthen both facility-based and home-based follow up of small and sick newborn infants discharged from newborn care facilities.
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Background: The health and nutritional status of children can be assessed through routine growth monitoring (RGM). This provides opportunities for implementation of interventions aimed at reducing under five mortality rates, infectious diseases and malnutrition. The objective of the study was to find out the level of uptake of routine growth monitoring among caregivers of children aged below 9 months in Nyamira County, Kenya.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study.Results: Only 21.1% of the caregivers consistently took their children for RGM. About 78.9% of caregivers had skipped RGM visits for their children in the last eight months at least once or more. About 45.8% of caregivers skipped RGM visits twice, 31.7% thrice, 20.4% once and 2.1% skipped four times. Uptake of RGM was not significantly associated with caregivers’ level of education (p=0.052), marital status (p=0.099), occupation (p=0.081), monthly income (p=0.941), distance to nearby health facility (p=0.774) and place of residence (p=0.330). Caregivers who skipped RGM visits gave various reasons including forgetting to come again dates (91.5%), child not sick (77.5%), healthcare providers advising them not to go for RGM since there was no scheduled vaccination (67.6%), among others.Conclusions: There is need for healthcare providers capacity building on their role in improving RGM since most of them discourage caregivers unless for those with scheduled immunization. Policy makers and implementers in the health sector should
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Background: The task of using the growth chart by Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) for growth monitoring requires technical skill. It was hypothesized that skill up-gradation can make a difference in the performance of AWWs in regard with growth monitoring. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of intervention in improving skill of AWWs regarding growth chart plotting and interpretation.Methods: It was a field based interventional study, which was conducted in rural areas of Varanasi district, India. A total of 66 AWWs each from Chiraigaon (intervention) and Cholapur (control) community development blocks of Varanasi district was selected for the study. Each AWW was provided 3 weight readings of different ages for plotting and 4 filled growth charts for interpretation. Chi square test has been applied to assess the significant difference.Results: Only around 10% of AWWs could correctly plot all 3 growth charts and similar proportion of AWWs could also correctly interpret all 4 filled growth charts. The planned intervention could significantly improve their skill of growth chart plotting and interpretation and during end line survey 41% and 77% of AWWs could correctly plot all 3 growth charts and interpret all the four growth charts, respectively.Conclusions: The developed hypothesis is proved, and intervention was found effective in significantly improving the skills of AWWs in regard with growth monitoring.
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Background: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) today represents one of the world’s largest programmes for early childhood development. The Anganwadi workers and Anganwadi Helpers are the grass root level functionaries responsible for delivery of services.Methods: A field based cross sectional observational study was conducted in Mangalagiri rural ICDS project to assess the knowledge levels and the socio-demographic profile of the Anganwadi workers, all the Anganwadi workers who are working in Mangalagiri rural ICDS project area have been included in the study.Results: Out of 212 AWWs, majority of AWWs were from the age group of between 30-49 years; 123 (58%) AWWs have education qualification from 6th class to 10th class standard and 135 (63.7%) workers had an experience of more than 10 years. About 142 (67%) AWWs had a good knowledge assessment score. They had best knowledge about immunization (96.7%), referral services (93.4%), growth monitoring (82.5%), health check-ups (75.1%) and nutrition and health education (70%). AWWs complained problems like infrastructure related, excessive work overload and record maintenance.Conclusions: The majority of the AWWs are in the age group of 30 to 49 years. More than half of them belong to lower middle socio-economic class. Maximum number of workers has experience of 10 years or more. All the AWWs in our study had 50% and above knowledge about Anganwadi services. Best knowledge is seen regarding immunization followed by referral services. Least knowledge is seen regarding supplementary nutrition. Major problems reported were excess work and record maintenance.
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Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative disorder of the developing retinal vessels of premature infants. ROP remains one of the leading causes of childhood blindness worldwide. India and other developing countries are facing the third epidemic of ROP. Various risk factors for development of ROP include low gestational age, low birth weight, hyaline membrane disease, sepsis, shock, prolonged oxygen therapy, poor nutrition and weight gain and blood transfusions. Objective: To study nutritional factors and postnatal growth as predictors of ROP in neonates weighing <1750g and/ gestation <34 weeks. Methods: It is a prospective observational study conducted over one year (May 2017 to April 2018) in NICU, Department of Pediatrics, Govt. Medical College Amritsar, in collaboration with Department of Ophthalmology. All antenatal, perinatal and neonatal factors along with nutritional factors and postnatal growth mointoring were recorded. Screening for ROP was done by indirect opthalmoscopy at 4 weeks of postnatal age and followed up till retinal vascularization was complete. Data was analysed using univariate and multivariate regression analysis to evaluate risk factors. Results: Out of 79 babies screened 44 were found to have ROP of which 4 required treatment. Important risk factors found significant on univariate analysis were low birth weight (p=0.023) gestational age (p=0.003), duration of i/v fluid therapy (p=0.004), day of start of feed (p=0.032), day of attainment of full feed (p=0.005), relative weight gain at 4 weeks (p=0.041) and 6 weeks of life (p=0.04). On mutivariate logistic analysis, relative weight gain (g/kg/day) at 4 weeks of life was found to be an independent risk factor. Conclusion: Relative weight gain (g/kg/day) at 4 weeks of life was found to be an independent risk factor for development of ROP. This result may be regarded as providing emphasis on the importance of weight gain at an earlier postnatal age.
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Abstract Objective: To address the growth of full-term children in the first 6 months of life in exclusive breastfeeding. Source of data: A non-systematic review was carried out by searching the MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases and the World Health Organization website for articles and documents on the growth of exclusively breastfed infants and their monitoring. Those documents considered to be the most relevant by the author were selected. Data synthesis: Exclusively breastfeed infants show differentiated growth when compared to formula-fed infants. Weight loss in the first four days of life is due more to loss of fat mass rather than lean mass, including body water, and is usually lower in exclusively breastfed infants. In turn, the time for recovery of the birth weight may be longer in these infants. Formula-fed infants gain weight and increase their BMI more rapidly in the first three to six months of life than infants in exclusive or predominant breastfeeding due to a progressive increase in lean mass. The World Health Organization growth curves, which use the growth pattern of breastfed children as their standard, are used to monitor growth. Conclusions: Exclusively breastfed infants have differentiated growth when compared with formula-fed infants. This should be considered when monitoring the infant's growth. It should be emphasized that the growth pattern currently used as reference is that of the exclusively breastfed infant.
Resumo Objetivo: Abordar o crescimento da criança nascida a termo nos primeiros seis meses de vida em amamentação exclusiva. Fonte dos dados: Foi feita revisão não sistemática tendo sido consultadas as bases de dados MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library e site da Organização Mundial da Saúde, em busca de artigos e documentos versando sobre o crescimento da criança em amamentação exclusiva e o seu monitoramento. Foram selecionados aqueles julgados mais relevantes pela autora. Síntese dos dados: As crianças em amamentação exclusiva apresentam crescimento diferenciado quando comparadas com crianças alimentadas com fórmulas infantis. A perda de peso nos primeiros 4 dias de vida se deve mais à perda de massa gorda do que de massa magra, incluindo a água corporal, e costuma ser menor nas crianças amamentadas exclusivamente. Por outro lado, o tempo para a recuperação do peso de nascimento pode ser maior nessas crianças. As crianças alimentadas com fórmulas ganham peso e aumentam o seu IMC mais rapidamente nos primeiros 3 a 6 meses do que as crianças em amamentação exclusiva ou predominante, devido a um aumento progressivo da massa magra. Para o monitoramento do crescimento utilizam-se as curvas de crescimento da Organização Mundial da Saúde, que adota como padrão o crescimento das crianças amamentadas. Conclusões: A criança em amamentação exclusiva apresenta crescimento diferenciado em comparação com as crianças alimentadas com fórmulas infantis. Isso deve ser levado em consideração durante o monitoramento do crescimento da criança. Ressalta-se que o padrão de crescimento adotado como referência atualmente é o da criança amamentada exclusivamente.
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant , Breast Feeding , Child Development/physiology , Body CompositionABSTRACT
The use of growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) has become widespread. It is a potential contributor towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals of halving hunger and reducing child mortality by two-thirds within 2015. Yet, GMP appears to be a prerequisite for good child health but several studies have shown that there is a discrepancy between the purpose and the practice of GMP. The high prevalence of malnutrition in many developing countries seems to confirm this fact. A descriptive qualitative study was carried out from April to September 2011. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted amongst mothers and health workers. Data were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis technique, with the support of ATLAS.ti 5.0 software. The results suggest that most mothers were aware of the need for regular weight monitoring while health workers also seemed to be well-aware and to practise GMP according to the international guidelines. However, there was a deficit in maternal knowledge with regard to child-feeding and a lack of basic resources to keep and/or to buy healthful and nutritionally-rich food. Furthermore, the role of the husband was not always supportive of proper child-feeding. In general, GMP is unlikely to succeed if mothers lack awareness of proper child-feeding practices, and if they are not supported by their husbands.
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OBJECTIVES: growth monitoring (GM) is an important intervention ensuring wellbeing of children. If GM to be meaningful it is essential to have reference standards appropriate for that population. In Sri Lanka growth charts based on WHO multi centre growth reference study (MGRS) are used for GM. This study was carried out to ascertain the appropriateness of MGRS charts for GM in Sri Lankan children. METHODS: out of a birth cohort of 2215 children, 250 from each sex were invited for a followed up. Children were examined at 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months, to measure weight and length. Statistical characteristics of weight and length for each sex were calculated and compared with MGRS data. RESULTS: out of babies invited to participate in the study 244 boys and 241 girls responded initially. Out of this 85% of boys and 86% of girls completed the follow up. Weight and length of both sexes deviated significantly at all ages from MGRS data. CONCLUSION: MGRS data seems to be inappropriate for monitoring growth of Sri Lankan children...
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child , Child , Child Health , Child Welfare , Environment , Growth , Growth Charts , Feeding Behavior , Environmental Monitoring , Nutritional Status , Anthropometry , Cohort Studies , Social ConditionsABSTRACT
Decline in malnutrition levels has been dismal since the 1990s. We ascertained decadal trend in childhood nutritional status between 1997 and 2007 in Chandigarh, India and assessed impact of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) on childhood undernutrition. A total of 803 under-five children, 547 children between 12-23 months age, and 218 women with an infant child were recruited for the study. Findings of present study were compared with another methodologically similar study (1997) from Chandigarh and Reproductive and Child Health Rapid Household Survey (1998) to draw decadal trends. Prevalence of underweight among under-five children remained almost stagnant in the last one decade from 51.6% (1997) to 50.4% (2007). There was insignificant difference (P=0.3) in prevalence of underweight among children registered under ICDS program (52.1%) and those not registered (48.4%) in 2007. Other health and service provision indicators had mixed results in the past decade. Health services utilization was poorest in urban slums.
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Se establece una vez más la importancia de la monitorización del crecimiento en los niños menores de 5 años mediante tarjetas o carnés con gráficos de peso para la edad como instrumento útil que, en poder de los padres y utilizados por el equipo de atención primaria, contribuyen a lograr un óptimo crecimiento y estado nutricional de los niños pequeños en las edades de mayor riesgo de enfermedades infecciosas y nutricionales. Se proponen varias opciones de carnés adaptados a nuestras características y se describen los gráficos y sus diferentes partes: datos de identidad, antecedentes perinatales, esquema de inmunizaciones preventivas vigente, orientaciones dietéticas, desarrollo psicomotor y relación de factores de riesgo que requieren medidas especiales. Se enfatiza en la importancia de la dirección de la curva de peso del niño para la evaluación y toma de decisiones ante desviaciones anormales.
Again, it is established the significance of the growth monitoring in children aged under 5 by means of cards or carnets having age-weight charts like a useful tool that in parents hands and used by primary care staff, allow to achieve an optimal growth and a nutritional status of children small at ages of more risk of infectious and nutritional diseases. Authors propose some options of carnets suited to our features and charts are described and its different parts include: identity data, perinatal backgrounds, current preventive immunizations, dietary guiding, psychomotor development and relation of risk factors requiring special measures. Significance of height curve direction of child to assessment and decision-making in face of abnormal deviations is emphasized.
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Objetivos Evaluar el desarrollo físico y estado nutricional de preescolares habaneros mediante su comparación con los nuevos patrones de crecimiento de la OMS. Métodos Se estimaron las puntuaciones Z de los indicadores peso/edad, talla/edad, peso/talla e índice de masa corporal/edad en 1 322 preescolares que integraron la muestra del Estudio sobre Crecimiento y Desarrollo de Ciudad de La Habana, 2005. Se calcularon las medias y desviaciones estándar de estas puntuaciones y se estimaron las tasas de prevalencia de insuficiencia ponderal, cortedad de talla, emaciación y sobrepeso. Se compararon estos últimos resultados con los que se obtendrían con el uso de la antigua referencia de la OMS y con las normas nacionales cubanas. Resultados Los valores medios de las puntuaciones Z resultaron positivos, en el rango entre 0,33 y 0,51, sólo la talla para la edad mostró un valor negativo de -0,07. En los indicadores relacionados con el peso, los valores de esas puntuaciones mostraron una tendencia ascendente hasta los dos años, posteriormente, adquirieron un comportamiento descendente, mientras que la talla mostró cifras iniciales negativas seguidas, después de los dos años, por valores cercanos a cero o francamente positivos. Las prevalencias de insuficiencia ponderal, cortedad de talla y emaciación, fueron de 1,3; 3,7; 1,0; y 1,0 por ciento, respectivamente. El porcentaje de niños con sobrepeso fue de 11,2 por ciento con el índice de masa corporal/edad y de 10,7 por ciento con el peso/talla. Se detectaron amplias variaciones en la prevalencia de las diferentes formas de malnutrición con el uso de normas de referencia. Conclusiones Los resultados de la evaluación del crecimiento y estado de nutrición de los niños dependen, fundamentalmente, de la referencia utilizada; las diferencias encontradas son relevantes y también lo son las implicaciones que tienen sobre las políticas y estrategias a desarrollar en la atención a esta población.
Objectives To assess the physical development and nutritional status of preschool-age children living in Havana through the comparison with the new World Health Organization's Growth Reference. Methods The z scores of weight/age, height/age, weight/height, and body mass index/age of 1 322 children aged 0-4 years were estimated in the Havana's 2005 Growth and Development Study. Means and standard deviations of the z scores and the rates of prevalence of underweight, stunting, wasting and overweight were calculated.. These last results were compared with those that would have been obtained with the use of the prior WHO Growth References and with the Cuban domestic standards. Results Mean values of z scores were positive in the range from 0.33 to 0.51, except for the height/age that reached a negative value of -0,07. In the case of weight indicators, the z scores increased their values up to two years of age and then they declined, whereas height/age began with negative values and, after the age of 2 years, it showed close to zero or positive values. The prevalence rates of underweight, stunting and wasting were 1.3 percent, 3.7 percent, 1.0 percent and 1.0 percent respectively. The percentage of overweight among children was 11.2 percent with body mass index/age and 10.7 percent with weight/height. Significant variations in the prevalence of different forms of malnutrition were detected with the use of growth reference standards. Conclusions The results of the assessment of growth and nutritional status of children depend fundamentally on the type of references used; the differences found are relevant and also their implications on the policies and strategies to be developed for the care of this population.