ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine the role of nutritional counseling and maintaining growth charts in prevention of malnutrition through follow up of discharged patients at under five clinics.

Study design and setting: The Cross Sectional Study conducted at Under Five Clinic, CMC Children Hospital/SMBBMU Larkana, from April 2015 to January 2017.

Methodology: Total 380 study subjects were taken and general physical examination and anthropometry were carried out. Malnutrition was assessed according to WHO Growth Charts. Factors of Nutrition and Vaccination were assessed. All Caregivers were counseled standard WHO nutritional recommendations. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Chi square test was applied considering p-value ≤0.05 as significant.

Results: The mean age of cases was 8.73±5.71 months and the mean birth spacing was 1.05±0.56 years. 60.0% cases were belonged to rural areas and 40.0% cases were belonged to urban areas. 51.8% women feed their child in first hour after birth. 17.1% were completely cured, 62.6% were cured partially, and 20.3% were not survived. Vaccination was not done in 58.2% cases.

Conclusion: Proper counseling regarding breast feeding, vaccination, treatment options and also emotional support and encouragement by health care professionals to the mother help to increase the nutrition.

Keywords: Nutritional counseling, Maintaining Growth Charts, Prevention of Malnutrition