The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidelines for management of pediatric patients with severe malnutrition. This includes criteria for when the child can be discharged from the hospital.
Patient selection: 6 to 59 months old with malnutrition having a mid-upper arm circumference < 115 cm and/or weight-for-height to length ratio Z score less than -3
Criteria for discharge:
(1) There has been no edema for at least 2 weeks.
(2) There has been improvement in the anthropometric measure(s) determined on admission.
(2a) mid-upper arm circumference >= 125 mm
(2b) weight-for-height to length ratio Z score >= -2
(3) The child is able to be monitored to avoid relapse.
where:
• Percentage weight gain should not be used as a discharge criterion.
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