One of the most persisting issues present in the world today is undernutrition, particularly among children. Improper and irregular feeding practices are one of the key causes of childhood undernutrition. Photo: Sumon Yusuf/icddr,b Broadly, it is characterised by stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient
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Breastfeeding is critical for neonates to curb dehydrating diarrhoea
Breastfeeding could be key to saving lives of neonates suffering from dehydrating diarrhoea, new icddr,b study suggests. Breastfeeding is known as a highly effective strategy for the prevention of infectious disease–related morbidity and mortality in infancy as well as in early childhood. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommends early breastfeeding – the
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Supporting working mothers can save children’s lives
New research by icddr,b in Bangladesh urges government to support measures to ensure balance between childcare and work for mothers. In almost all societies across the world, women play a vital role in the family structure responsible for the health and wellbeing of all family members. Usually they are assigned, by custom and norm, to
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Could stool samples unlock barriers in childhood tuberculosis testing?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It usually affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can infect other places in the body such as the inner organs, bones, the brain, the spine etc (extrapulmonary TB). This is due to the highly contagious nature of the infection, which spreads from
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Why it is important mothers breastfeed within an hour of birth
One of the little known ‘superfoods’ for newborn babies is colostrum. It is a nutrient-rich fluid produced by women, expressed during the first feeding. It builds the baby’s immune system, and is packed with all the proteins, salts, fats, and vitamins and most importantly lactose which are all vital to a newborn’s growth. Given that
