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Kwashiokor is a protein deficiency disease. The word "Kwashiorkor" means the rejected child. In other words, when the mother weans her child to feed another, the older child no longer gets protein from mother's milk.

Kwashiorkor is also called 'Johnny Red' because the hair of a child with the disease goes red. Most children with Kwashiorkor are black with black hair. A pigment called Melatonin gives the hair its dark colour. As the disease takes it's toll, the body, desperate for protein, raids the Melatonin from their hair, in an attempt to survive. When that happens, the hair turns red and the disease is in an advanced stage.

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Kwashiorkor causes muscles to waste away and bellies to protrude What causes kwashiorkor?

Starvation (lack of protein)


What are the sources of kwashiorkor?

Kwashiorkor (Protein malnutrition) is not a disease that it transmitted. Kwashiorkor is caused by a lack of protein in the diet.


What is nutritional recovery syndrome?

In kwashiorkor , high protein administartion particularly via IV causes nutritional recovery syndrome


What is protein's deficiency disease?

Protein deficiency is very dangerous and can lead to death.


How could you fight kwashiorkor?

Increase the population's protein intake to prevent kwashiorkor.


Is kwashiorkor infectious?

No, Kwashiorkor is not infectious. It is a disease that results from malnutrition in less developed countries.


How does ascaris cause kwashiorkor?

Kwashiorkor is a protein deficiency disease. Ascarids (a type of parasitic worm) feeds off protein, denying it to the person, who then gets Kwashiorkor. I should say that it is unlikely that ascarids would, on their own, cause Kwashiorkor. It would be in the context of other contributary factors as well.


Why is Kwashiorkor most common in poor developing countries?

Malnutrition is one of the commonest problems in poor developing countries. Kwashiorkor develops when the body is getting enough calories, but not enough protein. This causes edema. It is more common in poor countries because people may not have access to nutritional food.


Whichtype of lab test suggest for kwashiorkor?

which type of lab test suggest for kwashiorkor Or what are the lab test for kwashiokor disease?


Who discovered kwashiorkor?

Victor Daunemigha


What is Kwashiorkor?

Kwashiorkor is a form of malnutrition caused by inadequate(not enough) protein intake in the presence of fair to good energy (total calories) intake. Kwashiorkor is a condition of malnutrition characterized by a swollen belly. Kwashiorkor is severe protein malnutrition, especially in children. It is more common in impoverished parts of Africa and Asia than anywhere else.


What can be the cause that your legs get very or extremaly swell?

There are several causes of edema of the legs, these causes are water retention, venous insufficiency, malnutrition/kwashiorkor, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, cellulitis. Immediate doctor's attention is needed.