Feature | Marasmus | Kwashiorkor |
Age of onset | <1 year old | 1-5 year old |
Cause | Calorie deficiency | Protein deficiency |
Appearance | Alert child | Lithargic child |
Weight | Severe weight loss | Moderate weight loss or maintained weight with edema |
Edema | Not present | Present (especially in legs and abdomen) |
Fatty liver (Hepatomegaly) | Rare | Common |
Wasting | Visible | Masked due to edema |
Appetite | Good | Poor / Absent |
Facial appearance | Monkey / Old man / Simian facies (Buccal fat loss) | Moon face / Sugar baby appearance |
Skin changes | Baggy pants appearance (loose skin of the buttocks hanging down) | Flaky paint dermatosis |
Hair changes | No characteristic changes | Flag sign / Black & white hair (alternating bands of hypopigmentation) |