Kwashiorkor: The word kwashiorkor comes from the Ivory Coast. Itmeans the deposed (no longer suckled) child. Kwashiorkor is a childhood disease due toprotein deprivation. Early signs are vague: apathy (indifference), lethargy (drowsiness)and irritability. More advanced signs are poor growth, lack of stamina, loss of musclemass, swelling, abnormal hair (sparse, thin, often streaky red or gray in dark-skinnedchildren) and abnormal skin (darkening in irritated but not sun-exposed areas).Kwashiorkor disables the immune system so the child is susceptible to a host of infectiousdiseases. Kwashiorkor is responsible for much morbidity (illness) and mortality (death)among children worldwide. Also known as protein malnutrition. and protein-caloriemalnutrition (PCM).
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