Main Difference
Kwashiorkor and Marasmus both are the types of malnutrition diseases. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between the patients of Kwashiorkor and Marasmus at some stages. But keeping in view the symptoms of the diseases we can get them. They are different from each other on the basis of causes, symptoms and treatments. Kwashiorkor is a malnutrition disease caused due to the deficiency of protein in the diet of the child while on the other side Marasmus is the malnutrition disease caused due to the deficiency of not only the proteins but also the deficiency of energy nutrients i.e. carbohydrates and fats in the diet. Children got the disease of Kwashiorkor due to the small gap period between the successive pregnancies by the mothers while children get the disease of Marasmus due to quite early discontinuous of breast feeding by the mothers.So the mothers of the village areas and city areas must have to address such issues to prevent their children from these types of diseases. Mostly the children in the age group of 1-5 years got suffer by the disease of Kwashiorkor while children having age of less than one year get suffer from the disease of Marasmus. Additional dose of vitamin B and nutritious diet are prescribed for the patients of Marasmus while patients of Kwashiorkor are prescribed for adding more protein in their diet.
Kwashiorkor
Kwashiorkor is a malnutrition disease caused due to the deficiency of protein in the diet of the child. Its symptoms include large belly sticking out, diarrhea, decreased muscle mass, fatique, change in skin color and change in hair color. Mostly the children in the age group of 1-5 years got suffer by the disease of Kwashiorkor. In Kwashiorkor the body of the child gets swallow due to retention of fluids. Patients of Kwashiorkor are prescribed for adding more protein in their diet. Children got the disease of Kwashiorkor due to the small gap period between the successive pregnancies by the mothers.
Marasmus
Marasmus is the malnutrition disease caused due to the deficiency of not only the proteins but also the deficiency of energy nutrients i.e. carbohydrates and fats in the diet. Its symptoms include peeling and alternately pigmented skin, hair loss and shin folds are formed. Children having age of less than one year get suffer from the disease of Marasmus. Additional dose of vitamin B and nutritious diet are prescribed for the patients of Marasmus. Children get the disease of Marasmus due to quite early discontinuous of breast feeding by the mothers.
Key Differences
- Kwashiorkor is a malnutrition disease caused due to the deficiency of protein in the diet of the child while on the other side Marasmus is the malnutrition disease caused due to the deficiency of not only the proteins but also the deficiency of energy nutrients i.e. carbohydrates and fats in the diet.
- Mostly the children in the age group of 1-5 years got suffer by the disease of Kwashiorkor while children having age of less than one year get suffer from the disease of Marasmus.
- Kwashiorkor is most common in villages while the Marasmus is most common in towns and cities.
- Children got the disease of Kwashiorkor due to the small gap period between the successive pregnancies by the mothers while children get the disease of Marasmus due to quite early discontinuous of breast feeding by the mothers.
- In Kwashiorkor the body of the child gets swallow due to retention of fluids while on the other hand there is no swallowing of body of the child suffering from Marasmus.
- Wasting of muscle is quite evident in child suffering from the disease of Marasmus and body reduces to skin and bones while on the other hand the wasting of muscle is not evident in the child suffering from the disease of Kwashiorkor.
- Skin color of the child suffering from the disease of Kwashiorkor gets change but skin color of the child suffering from the disease of Marasmus does not change.
- Bones of the child suffering from the disease of Kwashiorkor gets broken and scaly while on the other hand the bones of child suffering from the disease of Marasmus don’t break.
- Additional dose of vitamin B and nutritious diet are prescribed for the patients of Marasmus while patients of Kwashiorkor are prescribed for adding more protein in their diet.