5 Effective Ways To Prevent Stunting in Children

Malnutrition is defined as a deficiency, excess or imbalance of nutritional intake. According to the World Wide Organization (WHO), malnutrition during childhood is the most deadly threat to public health globally. Malnutrition in childhood can have a variety of long-term effects, including weaknesses in physical, cognitive and psychological performance. Malnutrition also causes stunting.

Stunting is a condition in which a child's height is shorter than other children the same age due to prolonged malnutrition. Sometimes the notion of stunting is misused with someone who is short, even though it is not stunting. That thing is called Stunted. Stunted is a condition where a person is short or stunted. Usually due to hormonal or genetic factors, in contrast to stunting. Stunting is a condition of a person who is short due to long-term or long-term malnutrition, not due to hormonal or genetic factors. Indonesia is in the 5th position with the most people with stunting in the world.
The main cause of stunting is the lack of nutritional intake in the fetus while still in the womb. Stunting has become a serious problem in the health sector and is very global. However, this can be overcome by providing balanced nutrition in the next life, namely childhood. The impact of stunting includes disturbances in brain development, impaired intelligence, physical growth disorders and metabolic disorders.

Childhood is the right time to build a better diet. In addition to causing stunting, stunting can also cause incomplete brain development which results in stunted cognitive development and IQ of the child. Stunted children have IQs that are 5-10 points lower than normal children. This is of course a concern because children are the nation's successor generation who are the hope for the ideals and goals of the Indonesian nation. The following are ways to prevent stunting in children:

 

1. Give Breast Milk For 6 Months In Babies

By giving breast milk regularly for 6 months to babies, it will have the opportunity to reduce stunting in children because breast milk contains micro and macro nutrients. In addition to macro and micro nutritional content, breast milk also contains Whey and Colostrum proteins which can increase the immunity of vulnerable babies so that they are always healthy. Therefore, mothers are advised to continue breastfeeding their children regularly for 6 months.

 

2. Fulfill Nutritional Needs Since Pregnancy

To prevent early stunting, pregnant women are encouraged to always meet nutritional needs. In this case, pregnant women are advised to consume healthy and nutritious foods or supplements recommended by doctors. If you have sufficient nutrition, pregnant women should regularly visit their doctor or midwife to check the condition of their pregnancy.

 

3. Child Development Monitor

Parents are encouraged to monitor their baby's condition regularly from height to weight. In addition, parents are encouraged to bring the child regularly to visit the Posyandu or local children's clinic so that they can find out the early symptoms of stunting and also how to prevent the disease.

 

4. Support Breastfeeding With Healthy Complementary Foods

When the baby is more than 6 months old, the mother can provide complementary foods or complementary foods. Make sure the food you choose can meet the macro and micro nutrients that previously came from breast milk. On the other hand, the mother must be careful in choosing these additional products. If you experience unpleasant conditions after consuming these solid foods, it is recommended to consult a doctor immediately.

 

5. Always Maintain Environmental Cleanliness

In playing, sometimes children don't really pay attention to the level of environmental cleanliness. On the other hand, children are very susceptible to disease. In this case, the role of parents must be active to always clean the child's play area and always monitor the child. One of the triggers for stunting is diarrhea which is caused by exposure to waste products that enter the body. It is expected to always clean the child's play area regularly.

Hopefully this article can help Friends of Hermina especially mothers to prevent stunting and improve our health. Stay safe and #TenangDiHermina