Oedema is a clinical sign of severe acute malnutrition (see Unit 1 Section 1). Children with oedema are at high risk of mortality and need to be treated urgently in a therapeutic feeding program. Nutritional oedema usually starts from the feet and can spread rapidly to the hands, lower arms and face. It may be mistaken for fatness.

Click next and try the steps for assessing oedema with Fatima, who is 1 year 8 months old.