Kwashiorkor
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
Kwashiorkor
Also testable as: severe protein deficiency
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Severe protein deficiency, often with inadequate dietary quality despite some calorie intake.
- Low protein and low oncotic pressure contribute to edema, impaired immunity, skin/hair changes, and poor growth.
Medications
No specific medication class was seeded for this card.
Signs / symptoms
- Edema with malnutrition points toward protein deficiency.
- Do not assume edema means fluid overload only.
Nursing actions
- Assess edema, skin breakdown, hair changes, growth failure, infection signs, intake, and family food access.
- Protect skin, prevent infection, and provide ordered gradual nutritional rehabilitation.
- Monitor electrolytes, glucose, hydration, and refeeding-risk cues when nutrition is restarted.
Complications
- Infection
- Skin breakdown
- Electrolyte shifts
- Growth delay
NCLEX cues
- Edema with malnutrition points toward protein deficiency.
- Do not assume edema means fluid overload only.
Memory hooks
- Kwashiorkor: protein low, puffiness shows.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Albumin
- Prealbumin
- Electrolytes
- Glucose
- Weight/growth trend
Review notes
- Generated from the nutrition entity graph. Verify against ATI/school nutrition materials before validation.
Cross references
Related cards are generated from the shared study map, not hand-built per page.
Condition card for Kwashiorkor: recognize the testable cue, prevent the complication, and choose the safest first nursing action.
Severe wasting suggests calorie and protein deficiency.
Malnutrition priorities are assessment, safety, infection prevention, and cautious nutrition restoration.
Potential dangerous electrolyte and fluid shifts when nutrition is restarted after severe malnutrition or starvation.
Major blood protein made by the liver that helps maintain oncotic pressure.
Shorter half-life protein marker sometimes trended in nutrition assessment.
Malnutrition pattern caused by inadequate protein and/or calorie intake or use.