A malnourished child who is not responding to the treatment at his home is admitted to the “Child Development Centre†with his mother for 21 days.
A schedule is drawn-up for 21 days focusing on the child’s diet and his overall development. In some cases the malnourished child is fed nutritious food every 2 hours. To improve her understanding, she is offered counselling about child development. Pictures, films are used to elaborate the stages of growth & development of a child while reasons for malnourishment are explained. Sessions dedicated to culture, sports, and readings are conducted. Speech-therapists give guidance on speech improvement. They are also taught how to construct a pit-latrine. Guidance is given on growing a garden in their neighbourhood which would help in making the area clean & beautiful. In this way CDC helps to treat severe grade of malnutrition.
Sometimes, women and other family members neglect minor ailments of the children & this may lead to a severe health issue at a later date. Sometimes a common cold can turn into a serious respiratory problem or asthma. As the saying goes “A stitch in time saves nineâ€. A timely treatment improves the health of the child. The hospital gets the child admitted for 3 days in case of minor ailments. All the necessary tests are carried out and treatment administered for free of cost under the guidance of expert doctors while providing nutritious food.
Aim
Aim of Child Development Centre is to try to bring the malnourished children belonging to grade3/grade4 to normal by providing them proper health and diet.
Before Admitting to CDC
Before admitting, the family of the child is made aware that one of the family members will have to stay along with the child in Child Development Centre for 21 days. Mostly the mother is insisted to stay with the child.
Criteria for Admission in CDC
- Severe visible wasting – muscle wasting, especially over the buttocks, prominence of bony structures, especially over the chest
- Bipedal edema – swelling on both feet
- Growth chart helps to assess GradeIII and GradeIV malnourished children.
- Children belonging to Grade III and GradeIV without any chronic diseases are admitted.
- Those children who take their diet properly but there is no increase in weight are admitted.
- While admitting the malnourished children are categorized into ill and Stable.
Criteria for Discharge before full recovery
- Good weight gain.
- K, Mg, mineral and vitamin supplements taken for 2 weeks
- Good appetite.
- Course of antibiotic completed.
- No edema
- An adequate training is provided to Mother or other caretaker