Explanation of the Meaning of Stunting and Its Causes, Also Learn How to Prevent It

Kapanlagi.com - Paying attention to the health condition of infants and toddlers is very important. One of them can be done by paying attention to nutritional intake. Because inadequate nutrition can interfere with health and inhibit growth. As a result, infants and toddlers can experience stunting. Yes, the issue of stunting has been raised quite frequently lately. So, what is the meaning of stunting?

Generally, stunting is a child's health disorder due to lack of nutritional intake. Usually, stunting is characterized by disrupted child growth. To avoid this condition, of course, every parent must have sufficient knowledge about the meaning of stunting.

For that reason, compiled from various sources, let's just take a look at the explanation of the meaning of stunting along with its causes below.

1. Meaning of Stunting

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As mentioned earlier, the meaning of stunting is a disorder in the growth of infants and toddlers. The disrupted growth not only affects the physical body but also the brain. Although it occurs during infancy and toddlerhood, the fact is that stunting in children will also have an impact on adulthood, even until old age.

Height has always been an indicator of growth in children. Often, children who have short height are considered unhealthy and not growing well. However, it should be noted that height is not the only indicator that a child is experiencing stunting. Even according to paudpedia.kemdikbud.go.id, short height and stunting are two different things.

Furthermore, the site explains that stunting is a condition of failure to grow due to a lack of nutrition in the first thousand days of a child's life. Meanwhile, a short toddler is only measured by their length (PB / U) or height (TB / U) which is less than the standard WHO for their age. In addition, short stature in toddlers can also be influenced by genetic factors from their family.

2. The Dangers of Stunting

Stunting is not a condition that can be taken lightly. The reason is that stunting can have a negative impact on a child's health and growth for their entire life. That is why it is important to know the meaning of stunting and its intricacies. Here are some of the negative effects of stunting.

- Impaired physical growth of the child, usually resulting in the child being shorter and smaller than other children of the same age.

- More susceptible to dangerous diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

- Weak immune system, making it easy to get sick.

- Stunting can also hinder brain growth, resulting in weak memory and concentration abilities. At a more serious stage, this can also lead to difficulty in a child taking responsibility for their own life in the future.

3. Causes of Stunting

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After understanding the meaning of stunting along with its harmful effects on health, of course, it is equally important to know the causes. Because with that, as parents, we can be more careful and take preventive measures, so that children can avoid stunting. Here are some common causes of stunting.

1. Lack of Nutrient Intake During Pregnancy

Stunting can actually be caused since the baby is still in the womb. The cause could be due to the mother's lack of nutrient intake. As a result, the fetus's nutrient intake for development is also insufficient.

2. Insufficient Nutritional Needs for Children

After the baby is born, insufficient nutritional needs can also cause stunting. To avoid stunting, parents should provide exclusive breastfeeding and nutritious complementary foods or solid foods that are appropriate for their child's age and nutritional needs.

3. Lack of Knowledge of Unhealthy Parenting Habits

Unhealthy parenting habits, especially related to child care, can also cause stunting. Every parent should equip themselves with knowledge of maternal and child health. In addition, parents also need to pay attention to their lifestyle and the cleanliness of the surrounding environment.

4. Experience of Infections

Diseases and infections can also increase the risk of stunting. Moreover, if the infection occurs repeatedly and reaches a chronic stage. The reason is that repeated infections experienced since infancy cause the child's body to always need more energy to fight the disease. As a result, the energy intake needed for continuous growth decreases.

4. Characteristics of Stunting in Children

Stunting has become part of the phenomenon of health problems in society. Stunting is a serious health problem. Therefore, early detection of stunted children is very important to do.

In addition to understanding the meaning of stunting, of course, we also need to know the common characteristics of children who experience stunting. So, if you find these characteristics in your child, parents can take immediate action. Here are some characteristics of children who experience stunting.

- The child's growth is delayed compared to children of the same age. The growth referred to can be physical, such as height, tooth growth, and so on. And, growth in terms of psychological and mental, such as concentration and memory abilities.

- In some cases, the child's growth is not only delayed but can also experience regression. This is quite common in children with gradually decreasing weight.

- The child has poor immune system, making them very susceptible to diseases, especially those caused by viral infections.

- Children who experience stunting also tend to be less active or withdrawn. Whereas, at their age, children tend to be more active and explorative. While in stunted children, they tend to be withdrawn and even avoid eye contact.

5. How to Prevent Stunting

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Stunting is indeed a serious health problem for children. However, stunting is not impossible to prevent. Stunting in infants and toddlers can actually be prevented with several steps. Here are the steps to prevent stunting in children.

1. During pregnancy, strive to undergo regular check-ups. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy and regularly and avoid cigarette smoke.

2. Provide exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months. Then, provide nutritious complementary foods according to age and needs.

3. Fulfill the child's immunization needs to avoid various diseases.

4. After the child is born until adolescence, take the child to the doctor to monitor their growth. You can make visits by following the following guidelines.

- Every month when your child is 0 to 12 months old.

- Every 3 months when your child is 1 to 3 years old.

- Every 6 months when your child is 3 to 6 years old.

- Every year when your child is 6 to 18 years old.

Those are some explanations of the meaning of stunting along with the causes, symptoms, and ways to prevent it. Hopefully it can be useful.

(kpl/gen/psp)