A child receiving too few nutrients in its daily food is exposed to different forms of malnutrition. If the
deficiency relates principally to energy and protein intake, one speaks of protein-energy or protein-calorie malnutrition
(PEM). If the deficiency relates chiefly to iron, one speaks of nutritional anaemia, and if it relates mainly to Vitamin A
the symptoms are called xerophthalmia. It is unfortunately not unusual for a child to show simultaneous signs, to
different degrees, of all three forms of malnutrition. In addition, it is common for a child living in a developing country
to be affected by chronic energy under-nutrition. This is characterised by retarded growth and development, and
increased susceptibility to infectio