Where There Is No Doctor 2011 305
REVIEW OF CHILDREN’S HEALTH PROBLEMS
DISCUSSED IN OTHER CHAPTERS
Many of the sicknesses discussed in other chapters of this book are found in
children. Here some of the more frequent problems are reviewed in brief. For more
information on each problem, see the pages indicated.
For special care and problems of newborn babies, see p. 270 to 275, and p. 405.
Remember: In children, sicknesses often become serious very quickly. An illness
that takes days or weeks to severely harm or kill an adult may kill a small child in
hours. So, it is important to notice early signs of sickness and attend to them
right away.
Malnourished Children
Many children are malnourished because they do not get enough to eat. Or if
they eat mainly foods with a lot of water and fiber in them, like cassava, taro root, or
maize gruel, their bellies may get full before they get enough energy food for their
bodies’ needs. Also, some children may lack certain things in their food, like Vitamin
A (see p. 226) or iodine (see p. 130). For a fuller discussion of the foods children
need, read Chapter 11, especially pages 120 to 122.
THESE TWO CHILDREN ARE MALNOURISHED
NOT VERY SERIOUS
SERIOUS
small
underweight
big belly
thin arms
and legs
sad
underweight (he may gain
weight for a while because
of swelling)
dark spots, peeling skin, or
open sores
swollen feet