kwashiorkor

kwa·shi·or·kor  (kwäsh-ôrkôr)

n.

Severe protein malnutrition, especially in children after weaning, marked by lethargy, growth retardation, anemia, edema, potbelly, skin depigmentation, and hair loss or change in hair color.

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[Ga (Niger-Congo language of Ghana) kwashik.]

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kwashiorkor

Noun

severe malnutrition of young children, caused by not eating enough protein [native word in Ghana]

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kwashiorkor  (kwäsh-ôrkôr)

A severe malnutrition, seen primarily in children of tropical and subtropical regions, caused by deficiency in the quality and quantity of dietary protein. Kwahiorkor is characterized by failure to grow, anemia, liver damage, edema, discoloration of the skin or hair, and bulky stools containing undigested food.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

kwashiorkor - severe malnutrition in children resulting from a diet excessively high in carbohydrates and low in protein malnutrition - a state of poor nutrition; can result from insufficient or excessive or unbalanced diet or from inability to absorb foods