Diarrhea related to Nutritional Status
According to Mansjoer (2000), the cause of diarrhea in infants is due to infection (viruses, bacteria, parasites), malabsorption, food and immunodeficiency. Meanwhile, according to Sutoto, 1992 (in Simatupang, 2004) mentions that diarrhea causes malnutrition and aggravate diarrhea. Therefore, treatment with appropriate and adequate food is a major component of clinical management of diarrhea and also in the management of the home.
Weight and duration of diarrhea was strongly influenced by the nutritional status of patients, and diarrhea suffered by children with malnutrition status, more severe compared with children whose nutritional status is good, because children with malnutrition status output of fluids and faeces more so that the child will suffer severe dehydration , Supported also by the opinion (Scrimsham, 1999, in Saiful, 2009) there is a very close relationship between infection (causes diarrhea) and nutritional status, especially in children under five years old, because of the pressure of a synergistic interaction.
Pathology mechanisms can individually or together, ie a decrease in nutrient intake due to a lack of appetite, decreased absorption, reduce eating habits in times of illness, and increased fluid loss / nutrition due to diarrhea were continuously so that the body limp. Likewise, there is a relationship between nutritional status and infectious diarrhea in children under five years old. If the input of food or lack of nutrients will decrease the metabolism so that the body will be susceptible to disease. It can occur in children under five years suffer from diarrhea. Therefore, the input of food or nutrients must be considered in order to avoid a decrease in metabolism in the body.
Consumption of good nutrition and sufficient, is needed by someone, especially in children under five years old, because they often can not be met. Consumption of these nutrients, can not be fulfilled due to external and internal factors. External factors concerning the limitations of the family economy, so that the money available is not enough to buy food, while the internal factors are the factors that are within the child psychologically emerged as a problem eating in children under five years, or could also be due to malnutrition obtained from since birth due to malnutrition in the mother during pregnancy.
Therefore, the nutritional intake of children more attention because it will cause the status of malnutrition among children under five years (Suhardjo 2002, in Saiful, 2009). Nutritional status of children is an important thing that should be known by every parent. The need for more attention in the growth and development in the age of the children because it is in a vulnerable situation based on the fact that malnutrition is happening in this golden period, is irreversible (can not be recovered). Malnutrition that occurred during this period, such as protein-energy malnutrition, iodine deficiency disorders, vitamin A deficiency and infections are common in children, especially diarrheal disease (Lisdiana, 1998, in Saiful, 2009).