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Strengthening Psychosocial Stimulation in the Management of Children With Severe Acute Malnutrition: Experience From a Nutrition Rehabilitation Center

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Abstract

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) not only increases risk of mortality, but it also increases the risk of impaired motor, cognitive, and psychosocial development. Across the globe, 43% of all children younger than five years of age are at risk of not achieving their developmental potential. The World Health Organization management guidelines for SAM has included the integration of early childhood development (ECD) directed sensory and psychosocial stimulation and structured play therapy in the medico-nutritional care process. Despite this, management still largely focuses on nutrition rehabilitation, while these interventions take a backseat. Most countries are moving towards home-based management of uncomplicated SAM children. Hence, it is equally important to have a strong ECD component in the community-based management programs. Strengthening the support of sensory and psychosocial stimulation and structured play support in both facility and community-based care of SAM children will not only help them to survive, but also thrive and transform. With this background, we briefly describe the experiences of a pilot study aiming at strengthening of these interventions support in 10 nutritional rehabilitation centers across India.

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Funding

Funding: UNICEF India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, New Delhi, 110 001, India

    Praveen Kumar & Preeti Singh

  2. Department of Home Science (Foods and Nutrition), University of Delhi, New Delhi, India

    Shivani Rohatgi

  3. UNICEF, New Delhi, India

    Abner Daniel

Authors
  1. Praveen Kumar
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  2. Shivani Rohatgi
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  3. Preeti Singh
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  4. Abner Daniel
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Contributions

Contributors: PK, AD: conceived the study; PS,SR: involved in the pilot and prepared first draft of manuscript; PK,AD: reviewed the draft manuscript and provided critical inputs. All authors approved the final version of manuscript, and are accountable for all aspects related to the study.

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Competing interests: None stated.

Additional information

Note: AD is a staff member of UNICEF. The author alone is responsible for the views expressed in this paper and they do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy or views of UNICEF.

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Kumar, P., Rohatgi, S., Singh, P. et al. Strengthening Psychosocial Stimulation in the Management of Children With Severe Acute Malnutrition: Experience From a Nutrition Rehabilitation Center. Indian Pediatr 58 (Suppl 1), 42–45 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-021-2355-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-021-2355-7

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