Treatment of severe complicated malnutrition

Children classified as having severe complicated malnutrition are at risk of death from pneumonia, diarrhoea, measles, and other severe diseases. Children with severe complicated malnutrition must always be referred urgently to hospital. They may need special feeding, antibiotics or blood transfusions which cannot be provided at the health post. Before the child leaves for hospital, you should treat the child to prevent low blood sugar. You should also give the child the first dose of vitamin A if you do not identify any oedema, and the child has not received vitamin A in the past six months.