What is Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and how can it be recognised?
A4. VAD means that the body’s store of Vitamin A has decreased/depleted. Children suffering from VAD are more likely to be sick and severe VAD can cause blindness in children. Severe VAD increases the chances of children dying. VAD can be both clinical and sub-clinical. Clinical VAD is apparent from history or clinical examination whereas sub-clinical VAD can be detected from low retinol levels in the blood by conducting a laboratory test.