Management of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition(SAM) is a leading challenge globally. Identifying the factors influencing their recovery time is crucial for reducing the mortality rate and the complications associated . This study explores how their micronutrient status , clinical profile on admission impact the duration of recovery, aiming to inform strategies that could shorten hospital stay and improve recovery.

Aim: This study aimed to determine median recovery time and identify influencing factors. To assess micronutrient deficiency and complications in under-5 SAM patients during hospital stay.

Method: A prospective observational study (Sep 2021-Sep 2022) at a Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre in Tamil Nadu, India, tracked 130 children with SAM ( post neonatal to 59 months of age).They were followed for 15 days to assess recovery as defined by WHO. Multivariate logistic regression identified the factors linked to faster recovery ( shorter than median recovery time ).IBM SPSS 21was used for statistical analysis.

Results: The median time of recovery was 19.5 days. The Faster recovery was linked to Hospital stay less than 2 weeks, Edema at presentation, children who reached calorie intake of more than 120kcal/kg/day at discharge, normal serum copper levels. Micronutrient deficiency was prevalent in 84.6% of the study group.

Conclusion: Low micronutrient levels were tied to longer hospital stay, emphasising the need for supplementation during management of SAM children. Community based approach should be a policy focus for faster inpatient recovery.

Anusha Chelladurai is the teaching faculty in the Department of Pediatrics in Srinivasan medical college and hospital. She has completed her courses specifically in nutrition such as Poshan Abhiyan and importance of nutritious diet during covid(2020), Empowering parents in child care during the first 1000 days (2021), IYCF workshop(2021), Micronutrients workshop in Institute of child health and hospital for children (Jan 2022). She is the Life member of Indian academy of Pediatrics. She has done several poster presentations in national forum notably in DADA2 mutation and Leptospirosis. She has done many mass awareness programmes along with government of Tamil Nadu on Child safety, Red flags in Child development, Early detection and referral of childhood cancers, New born care, menstrual hygiene in adolescent girls, Benefits of deworming in preventing iron deficiency anemia in children between March 2023 to March 2025. She was part of the organising team led by Government of Tamil Nadu on Leprosy Awareness in the rural areas of Kulithalai (February 2025). She has been serving as an editorial board member of JCDR international journal from December 2024.