Causes of sudden weight loss in children

Weight loss in children is always a concern, except when it is prescribed and controlled by a doctor, in cases of overweight. Po that, if you observe a drastic and inexplicable loss of weight, it is better to consult with the pediatrician. Causes of weight loss in children Weight loss or sudden weig

Causes of weight loss in children

Weight loss or sudden weight loss can be due to many reasons, for example: A 1. Why do not you consume enough calories

(lack of appetite). Se 2. The recommended calories are consumed but more of the ingested ones are burned .

3. An episode of stress.

4. For an illness.One of the most common diseases that result in unexplained weight loss at a glance, is the malabsorption of some nutrient. These malabsorption are usually the direct cause of weight loss. However, on some rare occasions, malabsorption may be the result of another underlying disease, and be only the indirect cause of weight loss.

Diseases that cause weight loss in a child 1. Anemia: The body needs a wide range of micronutrients, in addition to the macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) to function, so the lack of any of them It can generate weight loss. Anemia is the most frequent of these malabsorption. A necessary nutrient, such as iron, is not being administered, is administered in amounts less than necessary or some other compound, such as fiber, hinders its absorption, which results in a loss of weight.

2. Lack of vitamins:

Other malabsorption, such as vitamins, although they are not so common, should also be ruled out when a drastic weight loss is observed. Some of them have had great importance throughout history, such as deficiency in vitamin B3 or Niacin, which causes pellagra, lack of vitamin C, responsible for scurvy, or malabsorption of vitamin D, which causes rickets. 3. Celiac disease, lactose intolerance and diabetes:

Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, metabolic problems such as diabetes, as well as food allergies, such as allergy to cow's milk protein, They can also result in a weight loss difficult to explain. Although these are not malabsorption in themselves, the result is the same, since a nutrient is not assimilated, the organism suffers and there is, among other symptoms, a loss of weight. 4. Light gastrointestinal disorders como: as a passing diarrhea caused by a virus or bacterial infection, or more serious, such as Crohn's disease, and alterations of the thyroid gland also cause drastic weight loss.

5. Anorexia or bulimia: Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, although they are not very common in early childhood, if they are in adolescence, and increasingly unfortunately early, so, in the face of thinning, it is advisable to be attentive to the attitude of the child or adolescent in front of the food. Changes in behavior and / or psychological problems such as depression or anxiety should also be observed, which can be derived from problems at home (divorce, birth of a brother ...) or at school (change of school, bullying ...) and they can incur a loss of appetite and weight.

Although it is most likely that the weight loss is not the result of a serious illness, it is advisable to consult the pediatrician when there is a change in attitude towards food, a loss of more than 5% of the weight or a dramatic reduction of the percentile (as 40-50%).