Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition in a Senegalese Paediatric Hospital

Malnutrition is a global health problem. It is very common in developing countries where it contributes to an increase in morbidity and mortality, especially among children under five years of age. The main objective of this study was to describe the management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children six months to five years of age hospitalized at Diamniadio Children’s Hospital (DCH). This was an epidemiological, retrospective, descriptive and cross-sectional study of children aged six to 59 months hospitalized at DCH for SAM. The study took place over a 12-month period (from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018). During the study period, 67 children were admitted for SAM, representing a hospital prevalence of 8.4%. The majority (88%) children were less than 24 months old. Reasons for consultations were dominated by diarrhea (57.5%) vomiting (38.8%). Complications related to SAM were mainly: anaemia (74.6%), infections (85%) and severe acute dehydration (40.3%). Factors associated with SAM were young age (infants under 24 months of age), poverty, the first four children of a sibling, poor behaviour of food diversification. The average length of hospitalization was 12 days. The nutritional recovery rate was 73.1% and lethality was 3%. Conclusion: The prevention of malnutrition must involve the fight against poverty, an optimal and well-diversified diet, monitoring the nutritional status of children up to five years of age.