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FEEDING MALNUTRITIONED SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN TOREZ PROJECT (FMCT)

From everybody at L2O and Carrie we would like to say huge thank you to all Donors who helped us to raise $1,309.81 for Torez. We still have a long way to go and our goal for 2010 is to raise $2,000.00 by the end of the year.

What can YOU do?

You can stop the pain and low mortality rate by donating NOW to special needs institutions like Torez through the Life2Orphans feed the children program! For pennies a day you can help a child with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and many other special needs conditions nourish their little bodies, so that they will not endure the pain of malnutrition. Please visit LIFE2ORPHANS.ORG and donate to Torez a special needs orphanage today. Your love and generosity will help save a child...We have lost too many special needs children so far (several this year) at the hands of malnutrition Please feed a special needs child’s body, heart, and soul today! Begin donating NOW...
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What Is Malnutrition? What Causes Malnutrition?

Malnutrition - Individuals are malnourished, or suffer from undernutrition if their diet does not provide them with adequate calories and protein for maintenance and growth, or they cannot fully utilize the food they eat due to illness. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition is the gravest single threat to global public health especially in the area of special needs children in Eastern Europe Poor diet may lead to a vitamin or mineral deficiency, among other essential substances, sometimes resulting in scurvy - a condition where an individual has a vitamin C (ascorbic acid) deficiency. Though scurvy is a very rare disease, it still occurs in some patients (very often with orphans) - special needs children living in institutions, or those that live on a diet devoid of fresh fruits and vegetables. Similarly, infants or children who are on special or poor diets for any number of economic or social reasons are severely prone to scurvy According to the National Health Service (NHS), UK, it is estimated that over two million people are affected by malnutrition (subnutrition), and a high percentage are the children in orphanages and institutions.

Poor diet may lead to a vitamin or mineral deficiency, among other essential substances, sometimes resulting in scurvy - a condition where an individual has a vitamin C (ascorbic acid) deficiency. Though scurvy is a very rare disease, it still occurs in some patients (very often with orphans) - special needs children living in institutions, or those that live on a diet devoid of fresh fruits and vegetables. Similarly, infants or children who are on special or poor diets for any number of economic or social reasons are severely prone to scurvy.

According to the National Health Service (NHS), UK, it is estimated that over two million people are affected by malnutrition (subnutrition), and a high percentage are the children in orphanages and institutions.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that malnutrition is by far the largest contributor to child mortality globally, currently present in half of all cases. Deficiencies in vitamin A or zinc cause 1 million deaths each year. WHO adds that malnutrition during childhood usually results in worse health and lower educational achievements? While malnutrition used to be seen as something which complicated such diseases as measles, pneumonia and diarrhea, it often works the other way round - malnutrition can cause diseases to occur.

According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary:

  • Malnutrition is "Faulty nutrition resulting from malabsorption, poor diet, or overeating."
  • Undernutrition is "A form of malnutrition resulting from a reduced supply of food or from inability to digest, assimilate, and use the necessary nutrients."

What are the signs and symptoms of malnutrition?

  • Loss of fat (adipose tissue)
  • Breathing difficulties, a higher risk of respiratory failure
  • Depression
  • Higher risk of complications after surgery
  • Higher risk of hypothermia - abnormally low body temperature
  • The total number of some types of white blood cells falls; consequently, the immune system is weakened, increasing the risk of infections
  • Higher susceptibility to feeling cold
  • Longer healing times for wounds
  • Longer recover times from infections Longer recovery from illnesses
  • Reduced muscle mass
  • Reduced tissue mass Tiredness, fatigue, or apathy
  • Irritability

In more severe cases:

  • Skin may become thin, dry, inelastic, pale, and cold
  • Eventually, as fat in the face is lost, the cheeks look hollow and the eyes sunken
  • Hair becomes dry and sparse, falling out easily
  • Sometimes, severe malnutrition may lead to unresponsiveness (stupor)
  • If calorie deficiency continues for long enough, there may be heart, liver and respiratory failure

Total starvation is said to be fatal within 8 to 12 weeks (no calorie consumption at all)

Children - children who are severely malnourished typically experience slow behavioral development, even mental retardation may occur. Even when treated, undernutrition may have long-term effects in children, with impairments in mental function and digestive problems persisting; in some cases for the rest of their lives.

What are the causes of malnutrition?

Malnutrition, the result of a lack of essential nutrients, resulting in poorer health, may be caused by a number of conditions or circumstances. In many developing countries long-term (chronic) malnutrition is widespread - simply because people do not have enough food to eat.

Poor diet - if a person does not eat enough food, or if what they eat does not provide them with the nutrients they require for good health, they suffer from malnutrition. Poor diet may be caused by one of several different factors. If the child develops dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) because of an illness, or when recovering from an illness, they may not be able to consume enough of the right nutrients. Many special needs children suffer from this!

In poorer, developing nations malnutrition is commonly caused by:

Food shortages - Food shortages are a significant cause of malnutrition in many parts of the world

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