Nursing Diagnosis and Nursing Intervention for Marasmus

Marasmus is a form of severe malnutrition characterized by energy deficiency. Marasmus occurrence increases prior to age 1. Marasmus is one of the gravest types of protein-energy malnutrition in the world. Characterized by chronic wasting of fat, muscle, and other body tissues. Body weight is reduced to less than 60% of the normal (expected) body weight for the age.

Symptoms can be rather severe:

• Chronic, persistent diarrhea.
• Tiredness.
• Faintness.
• Inexplicable loss of weight.

Symptoms of marasmus that point towards a serious problem include:

• An alteration in the level of consciousness; lassitude and sluggishness; giddiness.
• Complete or partial paralysis of the legs.
• Loss of bowel / bladder control.
• Long drawn out periods of diarrhea and vomiting.

Nursing Diagnosis and Nursing Intervention for Marasmus

1. Imbalanced Nutrition : Less Than Body Requirements

Related to

inadequate food intake (appetite).

Goal:
Patients receive adequate nutrition

Expected outcomes:
improving oral inputs.

Nursing Intervention for Marasmus

• Get a diet history
• Encourage parents or other family members for feeding the child or there while eating
• Ask the children to eat over the kitchen, in a group and make mealtime a pleasant
• Use a familiar cutlery
• Nurses should be there at mealtime to provide assistance, prevent disruption, and praised the child to eat them
• Serve eat little but often
• Serve small portions of food and give each portion separately

2. Deficit Fluid Volume

Related to

diarrhea

Goal:
Prevent dehydration

Expected outcomes:

• Lip mucosa moist,
• there was no increase in temperature,
• good skin turgor.

Nursing Intervention for Marasmus

• Monitor vital signs and signs of dehydration
• Monitor the number and type of fluid intake
• Measure urine output accurately

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