GROWTH MONITORING AND NUTRITION EDUCATION: IMPACT ON
CHILD’S NUTRITIONAL STATUS
LAKHANI, ARUSA NASIRUDIN and RATTANI, SALMA
AMIN
Karachi,
Pakistan.
Growth monitoring was introduced into most
developing countries in the 1970s with the aim of combating malnutrition in
infancy and childhood. Growth monitoring is an effective and world wide
accepted tool of pediatric services provided within the community by health
professionals. However, growth monitoring independently does not either
prevents or treats malnutrition nor does it improve nutritional status of a
child; it may require effective interventions too.
OBJECTIVES:
This
study will assess the relationship build among the education provided with
growth monitoring on nutritional status of a child.
The purpose of the study is to explore the
relationship between growth monitoring and educating caretakers on
nutritional management of a child. The objectives of the study are to
assess the:
ü
Effects
of regular growth monitoring and nutritional education on child’s growth.
ü
Relationship
between growth monitoring and early detection of malnutrition
In this study, the concepts and the
relationships between health education, growth monitoring and malnutrition
will be explored.
METHODS:
This will be a quantitative
comparative retrospective study. The target population will include all the
families who are registered at the North zone MCH centers Karachi. Out of
2500 registered families, the folders with nutritional education given with
growth monitoring and without nutritional education will be separated. Than
125 folders from each section would be randomly selected, so the total
population for the study would be 250 children, in which, comparison will
be made between the two groups of children whose caretakers have received
nutritional education or have not received the nutritional education. The
comparison will aim to assess the impact of growth monitoring and
nutritional education on children nutritional status.
In Children who have visited
MCH center for growth monitoring on a regular basis will be included in the
sample population. All the children between the ages of 6 months to 3 years
who come for growth monitoring will be included in the study.
For ethical consideration names of the MCH
centers, family folder numbers and children’s name will be kept
confidential.
Data will be collected from individual record
at MCH centers by reviewing their growth monitoring chart and nutritional
education from family folders. A form will be developed as a data
collection instrument in which investigators will focus on sex, birth
weight, type of feeding, weaning diet, weight gain, nutritional education,
minor disorders, malnutrition and average family income.
RESULTS AND
CONCLUSION:
Data will be tabulated for Quantitative analysis
of results by applying chi square test to determine effects of regular
growth monitoring and nutritional education on child’s growth and the
relationship between growth monitoring and early detection of malnutrition
the relationship between growth monitoring and nutritional education to
caretakers and other related factors from data collection instrument.
The study will than assist health personal in
future to blend growth monitoring with education to maintain child’s
nutritional status and prevent the risk of malnutrition and other related
complications.