Assessment of Health Status of Pre-School Children in Auraiya District of Uttar Pradesh

Assessment of the nutritional status of community clinical examination is one of the first steps in the formation of any public health strategy to overcome malnutrition. Pre-school children undoubtedly are the most crucial segment of our population. Under nutrition is a critical determinant of mortality and morbidity in young children worldwide and it is associated with 45 percent of all deaths in children under five years of age. The major forms of malnutrition are kwashiorkor (edematous) and marasmus (wasting) with or without associated stunting. In a view to know the nutritional deficiency among the rural children, the present study was conducted with an objective to assess the clinical status of preschool children ofAuraiya district ofUttar Pradesh. The study involved a total of 100 preschool children. Twenty children selected randomly from each of the 5 villages of Bhagyanagar block ofAuraiya district of Uttar Pradesh. The study shows that 58 children fall between 1-3 years of age while 42 children came under the 4-6 year of age. Physical examination results are as presented in Table 2. It was found that on the basis of their general appearance, 54 per cent were normal and 45 per cent were thin and obese 1% in a different village. Sign of Fluorosis namely mottling of enamel in teeth was observed most of the elder children (4-6 years), i.e., 27 per cent as compare to the children belongs the age group of 1-3 years, i.e., 15 per cent. Anemia was observed as pale conjunctiva (28%) and Koilnychia (16%). Those with xerosis (1%) and Bitot's spot (2%). Conjunctival xerosis being common among younger children and Bitot's spot more in older children. The findings are showed the poor health status of preschool children. There is a need for health counselling to the mother/ caretaker to improve the health status of rural preschool children.