Nutrition (Nitrisyon)

This unit contains approximately 31 hours (6 days) of training activities. 

Community Health Workers are trained to:

• Define nutrition and malnutrition.
• Describe the components of a balanced diet.
• Identify signs and symptoms of iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and iodine deficiency in children and pregnant women.
• Identify main causes of malnutrition, especially in children ages 0-5 years.
• Identify signs and symptoms of various forms of malnutrition, including Marasmus and Kwashiorkor.
• Counsel families about proper nutrition for infants, children, and pregnant women.
• Administer micronutrient powders and explain the benefits of micronutrient powders to parents and caregivers.
• Counsel mothers, parents, and caregivers about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for infants aged 0-6 months.
• Teach pregnant women how to breastfeed properly and support them in adopting the essential behavior of exclusive breastfeeding for infants aged 0-6 months.
• Teach mothers, parents and caregivers about proper complimentary feeding techniques for infants aged 6-9 months, 9-11 months and 12-24 months.
• Help pregnant women and mothers to adopt essential healthy behaviors that can prevent malnutrition, including eating well during pregnancy, exclusive breastfeeding, and proper complimentary feeding.
• Counsel parents and caregivers on the proper use of Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF).
• Screen for malnutrition in infants and children ages 0-5 using weighing scales, length/height boards, and MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) measuring tapes and refer cases of severe malnutrition to the health center.