Psycho-social aspects of children malnutrition

Xavier Tislair
Barbara Laumont
Medical Department

Mdecins Sans Frontires

Operational Centre of Brussels
2008

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WHO (World Health Organization) (2006). Mental Health and Psychosocial Well Being
among Children in Severe Food Shortage Situations.
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Franck Flachenberg. Argumentaire pour une Approche Psycho-socio-culturelle de la
Malnutrition. Action Nord Sud/Handicap International. Janvier, 1999.
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MSF. Medical News. Spcial Psychiatrie, vol 11, n 2. August 2001
6
M-R Moro. Food, Treatment, Psyche and Cultures. MSF. Medical News. Spcial
Psychiatrie, 11 ;2 : 44-48. August 2001
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MSF. Medical News. Spcial Psychiatrie, vol 11, n 2. August 2001

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Malnutrition. Action Nord Sud/Handicap International. Janvier, 1999.
14
See point 4.2.2 for more details
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M-R Moro. Food, Treatment, Psyche and Cultures. MSF. Medical News. Spcial
Psychiatrie, 11 ;2 : 44-48. 2001
Psychosocial aspects of malnutrition X.Tislair, B. Laumont MSF OCB, July 2008

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M-R Moro. Food, Treatment, Psyche and Cultures. MSF. Medical News. Spcial
Psychiatrie, 11 ;2 : 44-48. 2001
Psychosocial aspects of malnutrition X.Tislair, B. Laumont MSF OCB, July 2008

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MSF. Medical News. Spcial Psychiatrie, vol 11, n 2. August 2001

Franck Flachenberg. Argumentaire pour une Approche Psycho-socio-culturelle de la
Malnutrition. Action Nord Sud/Handicap International. Janvier, 1999.

20

Psychosocial aspects of malnutrition X.Tislair, B. Laumont MSF OCB, July 2008

13

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Migration/
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from mother

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boundaries, isolation

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mother

Characteristics of
the child

Disturbance of the mother / child

relationship

Malnutrition

Decrease of
interaction of the
child with
environment

Less attention given to

the child by the mother

21

Franck Flachenberg. Argumentaire pour une Approche Psycho-socio-culturelle de la

Malnutrition. Action Nord Sud/Handicap International. Janvier, 1999

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This document being a literature and field experiences review, the objectives and activities
mentioned below are a compilation of elements found in the following documents:
1. WHO (2004). Directives pour le Traitement Hospitalier des Enfants Malnutris.
2. MSF ( 2004). To Nurture a child: Mental Health Aspects in Nutritional Settings.
3. ACF (2005). Malnutrition et Sant Mentale.
4. OMS (2000). Un Lien Crucial. Interventions en Faveur de la Croissance Physique et du
Dveloppement Psychologique.
5. MSF ( 2005). Centre Nutritionnel Karuzi: Le Volet Psychosocial

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6. Bibliography
- ACF France (Action Contre la Faim). Malnutrition et Sant Mentale. 2005.
- ACF France. Conflict, mental health and malnutrition : designing relief programs with
trauma in mind .
- Barbara Weyerman. Unraveling malnutrition : challenges of a psychosocial
approach .Terre des Hommes, 2003.
- Franck Flachenberg. Argumentaire pour une Approche Psycho-socio-culturelle de la
Malnutrition. Action Nord Sud/Handicap International. Janvier, 1999.
- FCND (Food Consumption and Nutrition Division) Discussion Paper N18. Care and
Nutrition: Concepts and Measurement. 1996.
- Marie Ccile et Edmond Ortigues. Pourquoi ces mres indiffrentes ? Ou comment faire
la part du culturel ? . Psychopathologie Africaine, 1993.
- MSF. Medical News. Spcial Psychiatrie, vol 11, n 2. August 2001.
- MSF B. Centre Nutritionnel Karuzi: Le Volet Psychosocial . 2005
- MSF B. To Nurture a child: Mental Health Aspects in Nutritional Settings. 2004
- MSF. Nutrition Guidelines. Second Edition. 2004.
- WHO. Un Lien Crucial. Interventions en Faveur de la Croissance Physique et du
Dveloppement Psychologique. 2000.
- WHO. Management of Severe Malnutrition: A Manual for Physicians and Other Senior
Health Workers. 1999.
- WHO. Directives pour le Traitement Hospitalier des Enfants Malnutris. 2004.
- WHO. Mental Health and Psychosocial Well Being among Children in Severe Food
Shortage Situations. 2006.

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#66373-

- WHO : Psychosocial stimulation : principles and examples

- WHO : Toys for severely malnourished children + sample curriculum for
play therapy
- ACF : Psychosocial follow-up for TFC beneficiaries
- MSF: Observation grid of mother/child relationship

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WHO

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MSF - Observation grid of mother/child relationship

Date
Name of the child
Age of the child
Name of the
mother/caretaker
Admission date at TFC
Nutritional diagnostic
History of malnutrition:
First episode / relapse
....
Nutritional care
provided
Family situation
( family composition,
nbr of children, rank of
the child amongst
siblings, other
malnourished child in
the family, couple
harmony, place of
living, emotional state
of the mother.)

Observation of the
mother-child
relationship/interactions
( quality of exchanges
between mother and
child, caring and
mothering practices)

Holding

Touch

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Verbal exchanges

Visual Contact

Attitude during meals

Hygiene brought to the child

Reactions of the child to the stimulation of the

mother

Reactions of the mother to the childs calls for

attention

Actions to be taken

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