Why is there a flag symbol in kwashiorkor?
A peculiar change in hair color in which the hair becomes discolored in a band perpendicular to its long axis. This is seen in kwashiorkor and indicates a period of severe malnutrition.
What is kwashiorkor and signs?
Kwashiorkor is a severe form of malnutrition. It’s most common in some developing regions where babies and children do not get enough protein or other essential nutrients in their diet. The main sign of kwashiorkor is too much fluid in the body’s tissues, which causes swelling under the skin (oedema).
What does flag sign mean in medical terms?
(flag) medical transcription Warning or caution by the transcriptionist to the author of a report, pointing out problems (e.g., missing date, dictation errors, equipment problems, or potentially inflammatory remarks).
What are the signs and symptoms of kwashiorkor and marasmus?
Kwashiorkor
| Marasmus symptoms | Kwashiorkor symptoms |
|---|---|
| weight loss | an inability to grow or gain weight |
| dehydration | edema, or swelling of the hands and feet |
| stomach shrinkage | stomach bulging |
| diarrhea |
What are symptoms of marasmus?
Symptoms of Marasmus
- Weight loss.
- Stunted growth.
- Dry skin and eyes.
- Brittle hair.
- Diarrhea.
- Lower immunity.
- Stomach infection and lactose intolerance.
- Respiratory infections.
What is flaky paint dermatosis?
Darkly pigmented patches form, and these may peel or desquamate, rather like old, sun-baked blistered paint. This has led to the terms “peeling paint” or “flaky paint” dermatosis. Underneath these flakes are atrophic depigmented areas that may resemble a healing burn.
How does kwashiorkor affect the body?
loss of muscle mass. failure to grow or gain weight. edema (swelling) of the ankles, feet, and belly. damaged immune system, which can lead to more frequent and severe infections.
What are the complication of kwashiorkor?
Some complications of kwashiorkor include: Hepatomegaly (from the fatty liver) Cardiovascular system collapse/hypovolemic shock. Urinary tract infections.
What is red flag symptom?
[4] The presence of red flags indicates the need for investigations and or referral. Essentially red flags are signs and symptoms found in the patient history and clinical examination that may tie a disorder to a serious pathology.
What does dropping red flags mean?
A red flag is either a literal warning of some danger, like the signal flag used by a sinking ship, or a figurative warning, like the red flag a candidate’s angry outburst sends to the voters about his temperament. Even some spam filters refer to their junk email alerts as red flags.
Which of the following symptoms is a characteristic of kwashiorkor?
Kwashiorkor is a condition resulting from inadequate protein intake. Early symptoms include fatigue, irritability, and lethargy. As protein deprivation continues, one sees growth failure, loss of muscle mass, generalized swelling (edema), and decreased immunity.
Why does edema occur in kwashiorkor?
Children with kwashiorkor were found to have profoundly low levels of albumin and, as a result, became intravascularly depleted. Subsequently, antidiuretic hormone (ADH) increases in response to hypovolemia, resulting in edema.
What happens to the hair of a child with kwashiorkor?
Children with kwashiorkor have low levels of albumin, polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants such as glutathione and vitamin E. Fig. 30.2. The “flag sign” in the hair of a child with kwashiorkor; hair becomes thin and fragile with bands of loss of pigmentation.
What are the symptoms of kwashiorkor and marasmus?
Other features of marasmus can include thin, dry skin; a head that appears large relative to the body; an emaciated, weak appearance; bradycardia; hypotension; hypothermia; and thin, shrunken arms, thighs, and buttocks with redundant skin folds. Like kwashiorkor, marasmus is caused by a lack of the right types of nutrients.
When does kwashiorkor usually start in the legs?
It usually begins in the legs, but can involve the whole body, including the face. Kwashiorkor usually affects infants and children, most often around the age of weaning through age 5. Kwashiorkor is seen in very severe cases of starvation and poverty-stricken regions worldwide.
Why is kwashiorkor misdiagnosed as pellagra in some countries?
Nevertheless, kwashiorkor has been misdiagnosed as pellagra in some countries because it also sometimes causes darkly pigmented scaly skin. However, the distribution of the skin lesions is quite different in the two conditions, and edema is not present in pellagra.