Under six months assessment

Dear Anon,

Actually we don't distinguish SAM from failure to thrive in the MAMI Care Pahway apporach, which is an integrated package of care to manage small and nutritionally at risk infants under 6 months and their mothers. Small and nutritionally at risk infants may be wasted and/or stunted and/or underweight and may be low birth weight (and identified a wasted and/or stunted at birth). Also the WHO guideline update on the managment of wasting in children is specfically examining growth faltering in infants under six months rather than just centring on SAM. The important distinction for management is whether an infant is sick (medically complicated) or not.  The MAMI Care Pathway applies and defers to IMCI danger signs and case management.  Otherwise an infant may be identifed as at risk using a range of anthropometric and non-anthropmetric criteria. Importantly the mother is included in the assessment and the support. You can access the MAMI Care Pathway Package online - it is a resource package to inform care, for integration into and linking with existing services and for adaptation to different contexts. If you'd like to chat more over your plans, please do contact us at the MAMI Global Network, mami@ennonline.net.  We have an active Implementers Working Group that provides peer exchange and support for those working with these infants and mothers or planning to.