YEAR 05 • ADVANCED CLINICAL

Paediatrics

20 learning units • 100 chapter sections • 200 explained questions. Assess children from birth through adolescence, recognise urgent illness and plan safe treatment, prevention and family-centred follow-up.

Original RAHBAR study material for the Year 5 learning pathway. Clinical cases support supervised undergraduate learning. Treatment choices, doses and procedures must follow current local protocols and the responsible clinical team. References & further reading ↓

MODULE 03 / 20

Nutrition, Feeding & Malnutrition

Assess intake, growth and nutritional risk while planning safe, practical support.

Quick revision ↓ Medical Dictionary

01Understand feeding

Ask about milk feeding, complementary foods, meal routines, swallowing and food access. Observe a feed when useful and explore difficulties without blame. Feeding support must consider the child’s development and the caregiver’s circumstances rather than assuming poor intake is a matter of effort.

02Balanced growth support

Use age-appropriate dietary advice and locally relevant supplementation guidance. Avoid unnecessary restrictive diets. Growth faltering may reflect inadequate intake, increased requirements, malabsorption or systemic disease; investigate according to history and examination while providing a realistic nutrition plan.

03Recognise acute malnutrition

Assess anthropometry using appropriate standards and look for bilateral pitting oedema. Oedema can conceal low body mass. Severe wasting or nutritional oedema requires assessment of appetite, infection and complications to determine whether inpatient or supported outpatient care is appropriate.

04Complicated malnutrition

Lethargy, hypoglycaemia, hypothermia, dehydration or infection requires urgent expert care. Rehydration and feeding differ from routine approaches and must follow the malnutrition pathway. Rapid unmonitored correction can cause harm, so monitor physiological response and electrolytes where indicated.

05Micronutrients and prevention

Consider iron deficiency, vitamin D problems and other deficiencies according to diet, symptoms and local prevalence. Confirm the likely cause and review treatment response. Coordinate follow-up with nutritional support and prevention, including safe food preparation and practical access to adequate food.

High-Yield Revision

Oedema can mask low body mass.
Complicated malnutrition needs a specific treatment pathway.
Avoid blame when exploring feeding problems.

Common Pitfalls

Using an ordinary fluid plan uncritically in severe malnutrition.
Restricting foods without a clear indication.

References & Further Reading

Read the relevant guideline sections alongside these original clinical teaching cases. Local pathways, available services and individual patient factors determine care.

Reference review: 28 September 2026. Consult current local protocols for prescribing, procedures and escalation.