Question

Shelly, an eight-year-old child from a low-income family, is displaying symptoms such as growth failure, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Which of the following is Shelly most likely suffering from?

	a.	Iron deficiency
	b.	Folate deficiency
	c.	Iodine deficiency
	d.	Vitamin A deficiency
	e.	Zinc deficiency

Answer 1

The correct option would be (E)zinc deficiency.

The symptoms presented here are decreased growth, diarrhoea and pneumonia. The child belongs from an low socio-economic background. So this can be due to malnutrition, specifically there must be deficiency of zinc. Zinc is responsible for functioning of the immune system and also it helps in protein and DNA synthesis which is needed for proper growth of the body. Hence all these are clearly suggestive of zinc deficiency.

In iron or folate deficiency there is marked fatigue and pallor along with mouth sores.

Iodine deficiency usually shows swelling in the neck along with fatigue.

Vitamin A deficiency usually manifests with eye problems (most common )such as night blindness along with dey skin and lips.