<<where kids are kicked out after they go from severe to moderate
malnutrition and then the kids are right back in again.  Moderate
malnutrition is still life
threatening.>>

Unfortunately, just feeding these starving children does not stop the
disease process. Too much food can be dangerous in their state. If these
people had access to real health-care, they would be on careful nutrition
support, not just "fed." Any stage of this malnutrition crisis is
life-threatening.

<<My friend said that most of the children who are dying are OVER 2 years of
age ----
which means that breastfeeding is clearly keeping the mortality in check.
More is always better.>>

One common meaning of Kwashiorkor is an "evil spirit that infects the first
child when the second child is born." Both Kwashiorkor and Marasmus are
protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) diseases that are caused by malnutrition.
Simplistically,  Kwashiorkor is the disease that causes the people to have
the swollen bellies, it's a fatty liver caused by malnutrition. Marasmus is
where their tissues have wasted away, and they are skinny all over. Both are
life-threatening, and both get to a point-of-no-return where there is no
hope for the severely malnourished.

Sadly, by have a second child, these mothers are putting their first child
at risk, because it is breastfeeding that is keeping the first child from
death. Culturally, I understand the Nigerians believe populating the earth
serves their religion, so they continue to have children, despite
starvation.

Thank you for keeping this at our attention, Susan.

Sincerely,
Heather "Sam" Doak
watching our crops fail during our own drought, and wondering if we'll end
up like Niger, as well.

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