What Are the Effects of Anorexia?

Anorexia in children refers to long-term appetite loss or disappearance, and the main symptom of reduced appetite is a chronic digestive disorder syndrome. It is a common and frequently-occurring pediatric disease. It is more common in children aged 1 to 6, and it is increasing year by year . Severe cases can lead to malnutrition, anemia, rickets, and low immunity, repeated respiratory infections, and different degrees of impact on children's growth and development, nutritional status, and intellectual development.

Basic Information

English name: infantile anorexia
Visiting department: Pediatrics, Gastroenterology
Multiple groups: 1 to 6 years old
Common causes: Related to gastrointestinal diseases, drug effects, trace element deficiency, improper feeding, etc.

Common symptoms: Long-term loss of appetite or loss of appetite
Contagious: no

Causes of anorexia in children

The causes of anorexia are diverse and can be summarized as follows:

1. Effects of systemic diseases

Many acute and chronic infectious diseases are manifested as anorexia, of which digestive tract diseases are particularly obvious, such as peptic ulcer, acute and chronic hepatitis, acute and chronic enteritis, and long-term constipation can cause anorexia. Among them, anorexia caused by inadequate gastrointestinal motility (functional dyspepsia) is currently being valued.

2. Drug effects

Many drugs, especially antibiotics, easily cause nausea and vomiting, such as erythromycin, chloramphenicol, and sulfa drugs can also cause anorexia. The long-term application of almost all antibiotics will cause intestinal flora disturbances and micro-ecological imbalances, causing abdominal distension, nausea and anorexia. Vitamin A or Vitamin D poisoning also shows anorexia. Some anticancer drugs are more likely to cause anorexia.

3. Trace element deficiency and some endocrine hormone deficiency

Trace element zinc deficiency often manifests as anorexia, and some endocrine hormones such as hypothyroidism and relatively inadequate corticosteroids can also manifest anorexia.

4. Food allergies

Some children are allergic to certain foods, manifested by gastrointestinal discomfort, irritability and chest tightness after eating, and even some children will refuse to eat non-allergic foods with similar color, shape and taste.

5. Improper feeding

This is currently the most prominent reason, especially in cities. The reasons are the improvement of the family economy, the increase in the food supply for children in the market, the spoilage of the only child, the lack of scientific feeding knowledge by parents, the eating of snacks, the consumption of cold drinks, and the giving of "nutritive foods", some high-protein, high-sugar foods (such as chocolate) Anti appetite decreases. Normal children have an appetite if the stomach contents are emptied and blood sugar drops every 3 to 4 hours. If you eat irregularly, eat snacks or sweets before meals, there will always be something in your stomach, and your blood sugar will not drop, you will not have appetite.

6. Climate impact

Hot summer climates, for example, can also cause anorexia.

7. Insufficient exercise

When exercise is insufficient, children's body consumption is reduced, metabolism is weakened, and gastrointestinal digestive function is not strengthened, which affects appetite and digestive function.

8. lack of sleep

Insufficient sleep in children, in addition to affecting growth and development, also affects the body's immune and physical recovery, which affects appetite and digestive function.

9. Anorexia nervosa

Only refers to a type of anorexia caused by mental factors. The pathogenesis and clinical manifestations are as follows:

(1) Acute mental stimulus, such as a child who is strongly frightened, is debilitated, his activity is suppressed, and his appetite is reduced. Such anorexia often does not last long, and the appetite for intimidation will recover.

(2) When sub-acute or chronic mental stimuli leave a loved one and a familiar environment and enter a nursery or other new environment, they do not adapt to the new environment, have low mood, decrease appetite, and sometimes vomit after meals. Family misfortune or parents divorce affect children's emotions and lead to anorexia.

(3) Impact of wrong education Parents place too high demands on children, restrict their freedom, prevent them from playing with other children, or restrict where they want to go, affect their emotions and reduce appetite; parents pay too much attention to children's eating, repeatedly induce or threat Means are offensive and anorexia.

(4) Refractory anorexia Individual girls can be very anorexia nervosa, children with extreme weight loss, weakness, and similarities with severe malnutrition. Such as low body temperature, fear of cold, slow heart rate, low blood pressure, extremities cyanosis, older girls have amenorrhea, anemia, and vitamin, protein deficiency characteristics.

Clinical manifestations of anorexia in children

Long-term loss of appetite or disappearance, the main symptoms of reduced appetite, more common in children 1 to 6 years old. Severe cases can lead to malnutrition, anemia, rickets, and low immunity, repeated respiratory infections, and different degrees of impact on children's growth and development, nutritional status, and intellectual development.

Anorexia in children

Physical examination

2. Trace element detection.

3. Other tests: such as digestive system tests, thyroid function tests, etc.

Diagnosis of anorexia in children

In case of children with anorexia, the first thing to do is to inquire about the medical history carefully, do a good physical examination and necessary tests. In general, the age of anorexia in children is between 1 and 6 years old, and the disease can be confirmed by loss of appetite, aversion to eating, and even refusing to eat for more than 2 months. But exclude those chronic diseases that can lead to anorexia and lack of trace elements and vitamins.

Differential diagnosis of anorexia in children

Age

If infants under 1 year old, especially newborns who have obvious low appetite, are mostly caused by the disease and should be paid attention to, which may be caused by sepsis, tuberculosis, rickets and various nutritional deficiencies. Older children should pay special attention to their dietary habits and normal living conditions, family environment, etc .; because families with a better family environment, children easily develop bad eating habits, like snacks, etc., may cause Anorexia.

2. Degree of loss of appetite

If it is a mild loss of appetite, it may be due to excessive snacks, weather, or a bad mood. If the situation is more serious, it may be anorexia or other underlying diseases.

3. With or without symptoms

If the child has mild loss of appetite, but still lively and happy, it is mostly normal. If accompanied by fatigue, debility, and low fever, most are tuberculosis or other infections. Those with abdominal pain and blood in the stool should pay attention to stomach, duodenal ulcers, parasites and so on. Those with unresponsiveness, rough skin, less sweat, and dysplasia should pay attention to hypothyroidism. With hyperhidrosis, rib beading, square forehead, skull softening and other bone changes are rickets.

4. Trace element deficiency

Examination of trace elements can help find which anorexia is caused by the lack of trace elements and also help determine.

5. Differentiation from food phobia

Although both of them have reduced appetite, appetite sufferers have a normal appetite and are hungry, only for various reasons such as oropharyngeal ulcers, toothache, difficulty swallowing or abdominal pain, etc., when they feel unwell when eating, fear and refuse to eat And the reduction in food intake, these children can return to normal after eliminating the above causes.

Anorexia in children

1. Reasonable feeding

Vigorously promote scientific parenting knowledge to achieve reasonable feeding. Babies within 4 months are best fed exclusively with breast milk. Add supplements reasonably in order, don't rush.

2. Cultivate good eating habits

Eating should be based on the principle of "satisfaction without oversatisfaction". Eat regularly, three meals a day, and add snacks and fruits twice in the middle. Eat less hot and fried foods such as deep-fried foods, fatty foods, and cold foods to avoid increasing gastrointestinal burden. , Affect appetite; to maintain a relaxed and happy eating mood; if you are full for a while, you can take some digestive medicine, or you can eat less or not for one or two meals, wait for the child to be hungry, and then return to normal use after the gastrointestinal is unblocked meal. "Hunger Therapy" often receives unexpected results; get enough sleep and do not do strenuous activities before and after meals.

3. Strengthen physical exercise

Properly increasing the amount of activity of the child can accelerate gastrointestinal motility, strong digestive juice secretion, increased appetite, and enhance gastrointestinal digestion and absorption.

4. Actively treat primary diseases

Timely treatment of physical or gastrointestinal diseases to remove the cause. Moreover, medication must be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, and it is not allowed to take medication without permission.

5. Stop using drugs that cause gastrointestinal reactions

Stop using antibiotics and other drugs that cause gastrointestinal reactions.

6. Supplement trace elements

If anorexia caused by zinc deficiency, oral zinc preparations can be given. In addition, you can also dietary supplements and eat more animal foods.

7. Drugs

Digestive agents, gastrointestinal drugs, hormone therapy for severe refractory anorexia can be considered.

8. Chinese medicine treatment

There are many treatments for pediatric anorexia by Chinese medicine, such as traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation treatment, special prescription medicine treatment, acupuncture and massage therapy, external treatment and patch treatment, etc., which can receive better results.

Prevention of anorexia in children

Regular diet

Eat fewer snacks, drink less high-calorie drinks, and eat regularly.

2. Balanced meal

Choose recipes reasonably, make coarse and fine adjustments, and mix vegetables and vegetarian dishes to allow children to eat mixed and whole; pay attention to fancy varieties, and correct children who do nt like pasta, love vegetarian not love vegetarian or love vegetarian not love vegetarian Partial eating habits; fish need to be stabbed, meat to be boned, vegetables must be chopped and boiled, thicker fibers should be cut into small dices, small silk, small pieces to adapt to the characteristics of children's digestive organs are not fully mature; eat more with Foods rich in trace elements (zinc, iron, copper, iodine, etc.), such as: animal liver, lean meat, egg yolk, fish, beans and soy products, peanuts, canola and other foods.

3. Create a quiet and pleasant eating environment

There must be a fixed place for meals, with tableware, tables and chairs suitable for children, let the children sit and eat by themselves; adults should not talk about things that have nothing to do with meals, let alone children running away, eating and playing, scattered meals Attention; parents must not reprimand their children while they are eating. As far as possible, deal with things after meals. If you have to solve them, you must also be patient and prudent. Do nt be rough and simple and destroy the good atmosphere.

4. Adapt to the new environment and develop new habits

When the child suddenly changes the environment and speaking habits, parents should help them gradually adapt to the new environment and new speaking habits.

references

[1] Hu Yamei, Jiang Zaifang. Practical Pediatrics. 7th edition. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2002: 1275-1277.

[2] Feng Xiaomao, etiology and prevention of anorexia in children. Health Vision · Medical Volume, July 2006, Issue 7.

[3] Yang Jianfu, Anorexia in children and its countermeasures, the 15th annual meeting of pediatrics and pediatricians of Yuxi Medical Association.