Management of Poor Nutrition in Child

Management of Poor Nutrition in Child In each phase of life, human beings have specific dietary needs. During the first six months of life an infant acquires all its dietary needs from either breast milk or formula milk (Department of Health, 2005, p2). However after the age of six months it is important that the infant begins to complimentary feed in the form of a well-balanced diet that has the correct macro/micronutrients for optimum growth and development (Morgan Dickerson, 2003, p234). This part of the assignment will critically discuss the benefits of a well-balanced diet for the growing and developing infant. This will be undertaken with regards to the scenario given. The scenario is about a ten month old infant girl called Jasmine. She has been admitted to hospital for initial management of poor growth and malnutrition. The term malnutrition refers to both under-nutrition and over-nutrition. However, for the purposes of this essay the term malnutrition will be used for the term under-nutrition. Malnutrition can result from too little or the wrong kinds of food, or can be secondary to an underlying illness. Signs of malnutrition include short stature, thin arms and legs, skin and hair in poor condition, clearly visible vertebrae and rib cage, wasted buttocks, and in extreme cases, oedema, wasted facial appearance and lethargy (RCN, 2006, p30). Jasmine is still being fed on formula milk; however she has not be successfully weaned onto a solid diet. Delayed weaning can lead to slower growth and deficiencies in nutrients such as iron, zinc, fat soluble vitamins and fatty acids (EUFIC, 2000, p2). Adequate calorific intake is required for the infant’s growth, digestion, physical activity and maintenance of organ metabolic function. Carbohydrates are very important in the diet of a young infant as babies have only small hepatic glycogen stores and have a limited ability to carry out both gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis. It is recommended that carbohydrates should make up at least forty-forty-five percent of the infant’s total calorific intake (Turner, 2001, p572). Similarly, fat should make up around fifteen percent of an infants calorific intake. It is needed to provide energy and essential fatty acids, required for growth and tissue maintenance. As mentioned dietary fat is an important part of an infant’s diet. Infants need energy to enable the enormous growth of the first year and also facilitate high activity levels. Therefore, it is suggested that they require an energy-dense diet. Although this can be provided by carbohydrates, fat has almost twice as many joules of energy for weight than carbohydrate. As well as the energy component of fat in the diet, the infant requires the essential fatty acids for correct development of the nervous system (Livingstone, 1997, p9). It has been suggested that the lack of essential fatty acids may explain why malnourished children consistently achieve lower intellectual level, compared with their well nourished counterparts (Walker et al., 2007, p146). It is important to note however, that studies into this issue have methodical limitations that affect the results of the studies. The research had only a very small cohort of children, who had other psychosocial problems apart from being under-nourished. It is argued therefore that the findings can not be generalisable to al under-nourished children. Essential fatty acids can only be obtained from lipids (oils and fats) in the diet. Fat is also a source of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, each of which is needed by the infant to some degree. In very young infants the lack of vitamin D may produce hypercalcaemia and or hypocalcaemia convulsions alongside poor quality bone growth, resulting in rickets. Dietary vitamin D can be obtained through fish, cream and cheese (Morgan Dickerson, 2003, p315). Iron is another nutrient that is particularly important in an infant’s diet. By the age of six months, iron from foetal stores, breastfeeding or fortified formula milk is no longer sufficient to meet the infant’s demands. It is during this period of rapid growth and a simple weaning diet that dietary intake of iron may be insufficient to maintain normal haemoglobin. Therefore, infants need to be consuming significant amounts of iron in their diet. Iron is found in red meats, fish, liver and some leafy green vegetables. Absorption of iron can be enhanced by Vitamin C and intake of protein in the same meal or inhibited by phytates in cereals, legumes and tannins in tea and coffee (Neill Knowles, 2004, p162). Therefore, it is essential that Jasmine eats foods that have sufficient iron for her needs, in meals that have the correct amount of protein and Vitamin C. Iron-fortified infant cereals, alongside pureed iron-rich foods are a good start to the weaning process. Iron is essential to all cells. It is so important that the body has evolved specific mechanisms for its absorption, transportation and recycling. Iron is a mineral found in every cell of the body. Iron is considered an essential mineral because it is needed to make part of erythrocytes. The human body needs iron to make the oxygen-carrying proteins haemoglobin and myoglobin. Haemoglobin is found in red blood cells and myoglobin is found in muscles. Iron also makes up part of many proteins in the body. Haemoglobin is a protein found in erythrocytes that helps to transport oxygen around the body. Lack of iron in the diet can lead to iron-defciency anaemia (IDA). IDA is characterised by falling haemoglobin levels and increasing problems with breathlessness with ultimately, high output cardiac failure. Infants over the age of six months with IDA, which at this stage is primarily dietary in origin and which can develop slowly may reach extremely low levels of haemoglobin before any problem is diagnosed. Clinically, iron-deficient infants are often miserable, apathethic, with poor appitites and negative behaviours (Morgan Dickerson, 2003, p309). Besides calcium that is needed for the healthy growth of bones, another micronutrient that is important in an infant’s diet is zinc. Zinc has been found to be deficient, even in generally well-nourished infants. Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell. It stimulates enzyme activity (substances that promote biochemical reactions the body). Zinc also maintains a healthy immune system, is required for wound healing, assists in sustaining the sense of taste and smell, and is necessary for DNA synthesis. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. Mild deficiency can lead to dermatitis, gingivitis, diarrhoea and loss of appetite. If the deficiency is severe and persistent this may lead to â€Å"failure to thrive† and neurological changes. Meat is a useful source of zinc, alongside dark green, leafy vegetables (Coutts, 2000, p2206). Infancy is a critical period for growth and development. After the first six months of life, babies can no longer acquire their nutritional needs from breast or formula milk alone. Weaning is the term used when solid foods begin to be introduced into the diet alongside milk feeds. From the evidence given, it appears that infants are at risk from certain disorders, diseases and delays in growth and development if certain macro/micronutrients are absent or deficient in the diet. It is essential therefore, that growing infants are given a well-balanced diet, which promotes and maximises the chance of the child having a long and healthy life. References Coutts A (2000) Nutrition and the life cycle 2: infancy and weaning, British Journal of Nursing, 9, 21, 2205-2216 Department of Health (2005) Weaning, http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4117080, date accessed August 2007 EUFIC (2000) Getting a Good Start in Life, Food Today, 11, 2 Livingstone B (1997) Healthy eating in infancy, Professional Care for Mother and Child, 7, 1, 9-11 Morgan J Dickerson JWT (2003) Nutrition in Early Life, Chichester, Wiley Sons Inc Neill S Knowles H (2004) The Biology of Child Health, Hampshire, Palgrave Macmillan RCN (2006) Recognising Nutrition, Paediatric Nursing, 18, 5, 30 Turner A (2001) Infant nutritional needs: an overview, British Journal of Midwifery, 9, 9, 572- 574 Walker S, Wachs T Gardner J (2007) Child development: risk factors for adverse outcomes in developing countries, Lancet, 369, 145-157 Essay question 2 The biological sciences in nursing curricula encompass anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, genetics and microbiology, a group of disciplines frequently referred to collectively as the biosciences (McVicar Clancy, 2001, p1415). This kind of scientific knowledge consists of facts, information, principles and theories. Debatably, in nursing, it includes evidence-based research findings and conceptual models of nursing, as well as research findings in other disciplines such as psychology, physiology, pharmacology and genetics. It is proposed that having this scientific knowledge base can help nurses describe, explain and predict (Wilkinson, 2007, p41). It is important to note that the study of biosciences and the specific study of child anatomy and physiology should go hand-in-hand with the social science of nursing and care so that a fully holistic approach to care and nursing is undertaken (Richardson, et al., 2001, p34). This will then empower and enable the paediatric nurse to give best-practice care that is person-centred and family-centred. This part of the assignment will discuss how knowledge of biosciences informs practice and contributes to the ability to meet both the nursing and dietary needs of Jasmine in a family-centred manner. It is proposed that understanding the biological influences on development allows for a better understanding of what possible errors may occur. With regards to nutrition, it is suggested that a paediatric nurse needs to know how various nutrients help the anatomical and physiological development of an infant. Jasmine has been admitted to hospital for initial management of poor growth and under-nutrition. It is suggested that it is a multi-disciplinary responsibility to ensure that Jasmine’s nutritional needs are met, and paediatric nurses have particular areas of responsibility and expertise (RCN, 2007, p2). These occur at all levels, entailing screening, assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating and monitoring the delivery of evidence based care that meets the nutritional and hydration needs of Jasmine. It is argued that, the ability to assess an infant’s nutritional status using anthropometry, observation and history is vital, but it is also as important for the paediatric nurse to have an understanding of the implications of information gained during an assessment. It is debated therefore that this is when knowledge of the biosciences is of particular importance. For instance, anthropometry, the measurement of the human body, can give useful information about growth and current nutritional status when compared with established norms. Here, knowledge of normal child anatomy and physiology is important so that any differences can be recognised. It is important to note however, that an assessment of nutritional status or growth should not rely on these measurements alone. Consideration must also be given to other factors, such as feeding history (Khair Morton, 2000, p2). It is debated that, knowledge of the biosciences if used with knowledge of psychosocial and environmental influences on health within a nursing context, will enhance patient care. Just relying on the importance of biological influences and not taking into account external influences on health can said to be â€Å"reductionist†. Arguably, reductionism in any form will lessen the quality of care. When taking into account external influences on health, the nurse in charge of Jasmine’s care must involve the family in the education of Jasmine’s nutritional needs. It is proposed that the greatest influence on a child is the family. Debatably, the infant’s experiences within the family have a considerable effect on their health, social and emotional development and these influences are not always positive. It is suggested that, there may be problems of poverty and depravation in Jasmine’s family and the paediatric nurse must have knowledge of other profess ionals who can give help and guidance to the family (Ross, 2003, p37). Arguably, in this way the family can learn together in partnership with other health and care professionals such as dieticians, social workers, psychologists, etc. From the evidence given, knowledge of biosciences when used in conjunction with other nursing care concepts can help paediatric nurses influence future health risks by educating families on the necessity of a well-balanced diet. However, nurses must first acquire an understanding of how nutrients affect a body’s growth and development. This understanding, alongside multi-disciplinary team work will provide the best holistic care possible. References Khair J Morton L (2000) Nutritional assessment and screening in children, Nursing Times, 96, 49, 2 McVicar A Clancy J (2001) The biosciences and Fitness for Practice: a time for review? British Journal of Nursing, 10, 21, 1415-1420 Richardson J, McEwing G Glasper EA (2001) Pre-registration children’s and young people’s nurse preparation: A SWOT analysis, Paediatric Nursing, 18, 10, 34-38 Ross A (2003) Promoting health: Challenges for children’s nurses, Paediatric Nursing, 15, 4, 37-39 RCN (2007) Nutrition Now: Principles for nutrition and hydration, www2.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/33898/Nutrition_now_Pamphlet_V7.pdf, date accessed August 2007 Wilkinson JM (2007) Nursing Process and Critical Thinking, New Jersey, Pearson-Prentice Hall

Roman Empire :: essays research papers fc

Roman empire â€Å"The Romans were a people of genius whose empire dominated the western world for 500 years.†(Pg. 7, Ancient Rome) What made the Romans so powerful was their way of government. It was very similar to the one that we have today, except emperors don’t rule us. The pax romana, or ‘the Roman Peace,’ gave millions of people in Italy and surrounding areas peace. Rome fell when it was invaded by overwhelming tribes and groups of barbarians. Rome was first founded on the legendary date of 735 B.C. The myth of Romulus and Remus was how Rome got its name. The myth was that Mars, god of war, came down to the mortal world and met a human princess. Romulus and Remus were then born shortly after, but abandoned. A She-Wolf nursed them until they were old enough to be on their own. Their dream was to make a beautiful city, and govern it and become powerful. Romulus and Remus had an argument. Which led to a fight to the death. Romulus won, killing his brother Remus. The peoples called his city Rome, after Romulus, who became the founder. Rome’s Symbol is the She-Wolf that nursed Romulus and Remus nursing them. Rome started out as just a group of farmers and Romulus as the emperor. Eventually, the small city-state became larger, and the government stronger, and more sophisticated. In 509 B.C., the Roman Republic was founded. Patricians were the ones who organized the state. Instead of a King, Rome picked 2 magistrates, or consuls, to rule Rome. Eventually, the consuls became too powerful, and the plebeians (peoples of Rome) became angry because they wanted rights equal to those of the consuls in ways. In 494 B.C. the plebs revolted. They elected certain members to be called ‘the Tribunes,’ and be their leaders. The plebs wanted the consuls to notice them. Eventually, after a year of rebelling, the 2 consuls let the plebs have the rights they wanted because in the future, Rome would need some of the plebs to become an army for th e protection of Rome and the conquering of new territory. Eventually, The 2 consuls’ decisions became useful. Rome started to wage wars with its neighbors, the Aequi, Volsci, Celts, and Samnites. For 250 years, the Romans were almost at war constantly. The Romans either made alliances with their neighbor’s or they conquered them.

Importance of IT measurements for an organization Essay

The performance of a business is a strategic issue which depends greatly on IT contribution. IT is crucial for any business to grow as it enables efficient and effective communication between the employees and with the customers. Similarly, in collaboration with internet, IT provides means of networking, marketing and communication. It provides storage capacity for the company’s data, data protection, data processing, transmission and retrieval of data as required (Alexandrou, 2009). Furthermore, it saves space which would have been used for storage of many paper works. IT has many advantages to a business but it can also have disadvantages. It is therefore important for businesses to evaluate it before adopting it within its structure. IT offers different features and since different businesses have different needs it is therefore important for a business to lay down its objectives before adopting it. In most of the big organizations IT has been adopted entirely in most of their operations while the small ones use it in performing a number of operations. Adopting IT for the entire business operations requires much financial investment and analysis of the technology. According to Myers (2004), few organizations have put in place measures that ensure their corporate strategies and IT are aligned. In other words, few organizations have put in place rigorous systems for measuring the value brought about by IT to their business. In some organizations tools for the management and measurement of IT spending are present and these include IT steering committee, activity based costing, annual budgets, tightly controlled systems of purchasing, benchmarking among others (Myers, 2004). However, these tools do not measure its impacts on the business. Measurement of IT in an organization is vitally important but there are difficulties which hamper the evaluation processes. In most organizations the IT managers lack full understanding of the business and are therefore not included in the decisions made by the senior management personnel. The senior management personnel lack the knowledge of conducting IT measurement processes thus many organization do not measure their IT effectively. To add to that most of the IT managers lack the fully understanding of the measurement of IT processes and will therefore not conduct them (Williams, n. d. ). In Curley’s (n. d. ) view, for IT to deliver business value, its measurement should be done in terms of revenue growth, profitability and customer satisfaction. The performance of the IT system in business is normally evaluated by checking how the business operations are improved. A good system should be able to improve the operations of the business. The performance of an IT system should be directly proportional to its contribution to customer satisfaction. With improvements in the business operations, more customers will become satisfied with services provided by the business. Moreover, the measurement of IT performance is a complement to the measurement of IT contribution to customer satisfaction. The performance of IT is evaluated by the operations of the business while its contribution is evaluated by the increase in the number of customers and thus business growth. The measurement of IT in an organization is vital as it is useful in justifying the existing or the proposed system, comparing different systems, providing tools for system management and in providing a learning experience (Bjork, 2000). When evaluating an IT system in a business several things are usually considered; effectiveness, efficiency and performance benefits. It is important for organizations to develop a framework for evaluating the potential costs and benefits of new IT systems, and the performance of these systems after being implemented. Benefits of measuring IT By measuring and evaluating the IT system, its efficiency, effectiveness and performance benefits can be fully determined and this will be helpful in making decisions concerning the adoption of a new IT system. To add to that, the organization will gain an understanding of the existing IT and will therefore have the capability to determine whether it is beneficial to the current needs of the business or not. With IT measurements, the organization will be saved from wastage of monetary resources in purchasing low quality systems. An organization might purchase IT systems which are not useful in meeting the objectives of the organization thereby leading to wastage of funds which would have been used for other important needs. Consequently, the business will be able to purchase a system which will be of much benefit to the organization. With an efficient IT system the business planning times will be greatly reduced, the cost of marketing will be greatly reduced and more inquiries will be handled within a short time. Similarly, there will be a reduction in the communication cost and paperwork. Furthermore, an effective IT system will minimize business risks, increase the flexibility and competitiveness of the business, increase sales and will provide a sustainable increase in the market share. Furthermore, the performance benefits from the IT system include improvements in strategic intelligence for new markets, provision of capacity and space for business growth, overcoming obsolescence, provision of more relevant and reliable data, among others (Bjork, 2004). The measurements will be helpful in evaluating the weaknesses in the system and in providing guidelines on the ways of improving the system for the better. In other words, they will provide an opportunity to evaluate the loopholes in the technology. As time goes the needs of an organization changes or increases and thus improvements in technology are required. The goals of most organizations is to grow and become competitive in business and as it grows its IT should also grow with it otherwise it will become a hindrance in achieving its goals. The measurement of IT is therefore essential as it provides an opportunity for further advancements in this technology. In conclusion, IT measurements provide many benefits to an organization and are therefore essential. However, in many organizations, the success of IT in a business is measured in terms of the IT parameters which include capacity, processing speed and up time. This therefore shows that many businesses do not measure IT with regard to customer satisfaction or profitability. Customers are one of the most important assets of a business and should be included in IT measurements to ensure a sustainable business growth. Similarly, organizations should invest more funds in IT measurements. In measuring the impacts of IT in organizations knowledge and understanding is a necessity and thus funds are required. Measurement of IT is not an easy task and cannot be done by anyone; IT professionals are threfore needed and should have much experience in IT measurements. Since in many organizations the IT professionals have little experience in IT measurements, IT experts from outside will be helpful in ensuring IT measurements are conducted in an efficient and effective manner.

Anne Arundel Community College ( Aacc ) - 1348 Words

Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) is a two-year public, community-driven institution of higher education. It is one of the oldest and largest community colleges within the state of Maryland. Anne Arundel Community College offers transfer and career associate degree programs; certificate programs; credit courses; and continuing education, workforce development and lifelong learning opportunities. AACC is a single-campus community college with a main campus in Arnold, off -campus sites at Arundel Mills in Hanover; the Glen Burnie Town Center; the Sales and Service Training Center in Arundel Mills mall; the Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute in Glen Burnie; and the Center for Cyber and Professional Training across from Arundel†¦show more content†¦When an organization builds trust, customers will beat a path to their cash register. One way that Anne Arundel Community college builds trust is through their affordability. AACC charged the lowest tuition and fees o f its four peer community colleges in fiscal year 2016. It also offers a free tuition payment plan that allows students to spread the cost of their education throughout the semester. The college believes no student should be prevented from attending because of limited financial resources. Many students receive financial aid through a combination of need-based federal and state grants, federal student and parent loans, employment through the Federal Work-Study and Institutional Student Employment Programs, interest free payment plans, or an extensive list of institutional, community and state scholarship funds. Because of the variety of financial options, the class of 2016 saw a record 2,340 students graduate with 1,154 certificates and 1,850 degrees. Consistency: Consistency is fundamental for any business. Consistency within Anne Arundel Community College lets students know what to expect. If AACC’s products or quality is inconsistent the student will stop coming. It also lets them why they should do business with you. And lastly it allows you to measure and benchmark. This allows an organization to see how they are doing and what they need to do to improve. Loyalty: The long-term success of anShow MoreRelatedLearning Activity Is Designed For Distance Education Students At Anne Arundel Community College ( Aacc )862 Words   |  4 PagesConstructivist or OCL Learning Activity Learning Activity This learning activity is designed for distance education students at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC). The activity is implemented within an online orientation course that is being proposed for first-year students at AACC to equip them with the necessary skills needed to complete an online course. The activity of this course that will be referenced in this paper is a discussion forum following the reading of an assigned essay. StudentsRead MoreAnne Arundel Community College Essay1105 Words   |  5 Pageswe usually crave the first food item we can find. I figure someone who hates, I mean, completely loathes broccoli would eat it if it meant the broccoli would stop their starvation. I’m not stuck on a deserted island with limited resources. I’m a college student who is very hungry. Isn’t that the same thing? After I leave my class, my stomach starts to growl louder than I’ve ever heard. I didn’t have time to make a lunch the night before because I was busy working on my heaps of homework. As soon