Monitor Child Growth Early to Prevent Stunting

Liputan6.com, Jakarta – Monitoring the growth of children from an early age is one of the important things that parents need to know. These efforts are none other than to prevent stunting in children.

Pediatrician Division of Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases RSUP Fatmawati Dr. dr. Lanny C. Gultom, Sp.A(K) said that growth is a progressive increase in a child’s size, both in terms of weight, height, head circumference, and upper arm circumference. Factors that affect the growth of children, namely nutrition, environment, hormones, and genetics.

“But along the way, even though these factors are good, a child can experience linear growth retardation so that they experience stunted,” said Dr. Lanny at the launch of the PediaSure New Formula – Supporting the Real Growth of Indonesian Children, Thursday, October 14, 2021.

dr. Lanny continued, WHO explained several causes related to the causes child growth hampered, starting from the family environment, maternal nutrition during pregnancy, preconception, and poor breastfeeding. “Or for example pregnancy in adolescence, low birth weight or premature birth,” he explained.

“Giving MPASI or complementary feeding that is not adequate, feeding consists mainly of poor quality macro and micro nutrients, feeding that is not on schedule,” he added.

One of the factors of stunted child growth is the delay in initiating early breastfeeding (IMD) or not giving exclusive breastfeeding. The next factor is repeated infections, for example children experiencing TB infection, recurrent diarrhea, to HIV.

“The impact of stunting is very large, the consequences are short-term and long-term. In the short term, mortality and morbidity rates increase, children’s cognitive decline if not managed,” he explained.

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