I heard this before, but i forget why, why is it that the stomachs of starving children often become distended and swollen?

It's caused by a disease called kwashiorkor (sp?). I think it's directly related to malnutrition, IIRC, but it may be something that you are more susceptible to when you are malnourished.

Okay, it is a protein deficiency in children. It is most rampant in areas where starchy vegetables are the most source of nutrients. The diet provides the necessary calorie intake, but is lacking in essential amino acids.

Quoted from http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0828435.html
The most striking manifestations of the disease are a swollen and severely bloated abdomen, resulting from decreased albumin in the blood, and various skin changes resulting in a reddish discoloration of the hair and skin in black African children. Other symptoms include severe diarrhea, enlarged fatty liver, atrophy of muscles and glands, mental apathy, and generally retarded development.

Hope that helps.

thank you! that's exactly what i was looking for.. i remember it now.. monday morning lectures, i never remember those! thanks again, you are a gentleman and a scholar! :cool:

Originally posted by ralph nader
its gas

cows produce so much methane by farting that they are responsible for 78% of the greenhouse effect and 35.4% of El Nino.

And to think we could power the world off all that methane!

wait a second......I thought that the kwasherkori was caused by water swelling, not gas........ site..For the first time in decades, doctors have reported cases of kwashiorkor, a chronic deficiency of calories and protein that leaves infants with swollen stomachs caused by excess body fluids.

huh, I thought it had something to do with the limbic system.

I dont think so............I think it is caused by a deficiency in the protein albumin in the blood, which causes excessive swelling in the stomach by water moving from a lower concentration of proteins in blood to a higher one. Is this diffusion or osmosis?

so then its a failure of the limbic system?

I think it is gas too. Not sure what the proper term is, but would that be caused by bacteria, that are naturally occuring in the intestines? I don't know, that's why I'm asking. The other thing, and I've done this before, try not to eat anything for quite some time. A day should be sufficient. Then eat-see how often you let wind off.

I think I am missing something......the limbic system is areas of the brain dealing in part with emotions. I thought we were talking about kwashorkor, the problem w/ those w/ malnutrition. The starving children only get carbohydrates, not enough protein in their diet, so by diffusion, water leaves the blood, into areas w/ higher concentrations of protein-causing the stomach to swell. I dont think this has anything to do w/ gas production by bacteria.
Bacteria in the intestines ostensibly break down compounds and their by product is methane, carbondioxide etc, i dont see how this has anything do w/ kwashorkor, that is just normal. let me know if I am not seeing things correctly

lymphatic system

Oh ya stipid me "lymphatic system" system http://www.guru3d.com/forum/images/smilies/bonk.gif

Originally posted by WellCookedFetus
Oh ya stipid me "lymphatic system" system http://www.guru3d.com/forum/images/smilies/bonk.gif

that's ok...i knew what you meant.

ya...i think you are right. So how would that work? Lymphatics just bathe the cells right? Does that mean it diffuses into the cells?

Originally posted by TATABox
ya...i think you are right. So how would that work? Lymphatics just bathe the cells right? Does that mean it diffuses into the cells?

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/L/Lymphatic.html


http://www.cayuga-cc.edu/about/facultypages/greer/biol204/lymphatic1/lymphatic1.html

Lymphatic system is used to pump water out of body extremities... if it fails: it produces horrible swelling of bodily areas.

Did no one read my second post?

yes. we got it deficiency in proteins...but we were talking about the scientific reasoning for the swelling Lymphatic was where it was coming from and whether it was simply diffusion into cells from lymphatic fluid.

Okay, okay, I should have been more specific. Some people were still asking what it was long after my post...norad, I'm looking in your direction.

I did a quick search through the online article database that my Uni provides, and I couldn't see anything directly related to the bloating stomach.

wow, I thought it was gas. Who knew that screw up one little thing and all that happens. It must really suck to be them.