Malnutrition by defect of a newborn because of the puerperal maternal psychosis: presentation of a case

Abstract

In the following work we followed up a child since he was a newborn until he was 1 year old for malnutrition by defect, caused by the puerperal maternal psychosis. In this case the mother rejected her son, refusing to feed him, depriving him of such important thing in this stage of life like the exclusive maternal breastfeeding, requiring of complementary nourishing in such early age to get an adequate weight gain and a psychomotor development that would equalize, in a short period of time, the ones got by healthy children of the same age, without sequels affecting his subsequent development. It was necessary a differentiated attention by a multidisciplinary team formed by the integral general physician of the family consultation, a pediatrician of the Working Basic Group, a nutritionist, rehabilitators from the Centre of Neurodevelopment, and a psychologist and a psychiatrist for treating the mother. When he was 5 months old he reached the normal weight; nevertheless, he was given a specialized follow up until he was 1 year old.