Adopting a Comprehensive Approach to Improve Nutritional Status among Critically Ill Children in Low-Resource...

Critically ill children account for a significant burden of morbidity and mortality reported among the pediatric age group in low-resource settings. The objectives of the article are to ascertain the nutritional needs of critically ill children, enlist the identified challenges in maintaining nutrition among critically ill children in low-resource settings, and propose targeted public health interventions to overcome these identified challenges. The results obtained from a review article that studied the cases admitted in pediatric critical care units revealed that almost 48-84% of the pediatric patients were malnourished, which happens to be a key factor accounting for poor clinical outcomes. A wide range of challenges and gaps have been identified about the management of pediatric critical illnesses in low-resource settings. Acknowledging the high prevalence of malnourishment among critically ill children, the nutritional needs, and the presence of multiple factors at the policy level, health system level, and family level, the need of the hour is to adopt a comprehensive plan to reduce the existing burden of malnutrition. In conclusion, children from low-resource settings are quite vulnerable to malnutrition and other predisposing factors, which can affect the prognosis of the children. This calls for the need to adopt a comprehensive public health approach, involving different sectors to ensure that critically ill children receive the nutritional care they require for quick recovery and wellbeing.