NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF GUATEMALAN PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED FOR ACUTE RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS

Nutritional status (weight-for-age, length-for-age, and weight-for-length) was determined in 678 children aged 0-59 months, admitted to the San Juan de Dios General Hospital in Guatemala City with signs and symptoms of acute respiratory infections. Five hundred and fifty seven (82.2%) cases were broncopneumoniae; 62 (9.1%) were pneumoniae, and 43 (6.3%) were bronchiolitis. Five hundred and seventy (82.6%) children lived in the urban zones of the capital city and 118 (17.4%) in the municipalities of the Department of Guatemala. Deficit in weight-for-age was found in 188 (27.8%) cases, while 176 (25.9%) showed a deficiency in length-for-age. In terms of weight-for-length, 84 (12.4%) were below -2.00 standard deviations of the reference curve. The children from out of the city showed the highest proportions of malnutrition. Monitoring of nutritional status of hospitalized children with infectious diseases can provide valuable information, not only for their management, but also for parental health education.