Nutrition and malnutrition: riboflavin deficiency: practice question

A Pediatrics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pediatrics · Nutrition and malnutrition: riboflavin deficiency

Sample item

A malnourished child has cracks at the corners of the mouth, a red magenta-coloured tongue, photophobia and corneal vascularisation. Which deficiency is responsible?

ARiboflavinBVitamin ACNiacinDThiamine

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Riboflavin

Riboflavin deficiency causes angular stomatitis, cheilosis, a magenta tongue, seborrhoeic dermatitis and corneal vascularisation with photophobia. Dietary sources include milk, eggs and green leafy vegetables.

Option by option

A. Riboflavin (correct)
Correct. This combination of mouth, tongue and corneal vascularisation fits riboflavin deficiency.
B. Vitamin A
Vitamin A deficiency gives night blindness, Bitot spots and xerosis, rather than corneal vascularisation.
C. Niacin
Niacin deficiency causes pellagra, with dermatitis in sun-exposed areas, diarrhoea and dementia.
D. Thiamine
Thiamine deficiency causes beriberi, with neuropathy, heart failure or encephalopathy.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is A, Riboflavin. Riboflavin deficiency causes angular stomatitis, cheilosis, a magenta tongue, seborrhoeic dermatitis and corneal vascularisation with photophobia.

Why is "Vitamin A" not the answer?

Vitamin A deficiency gives night blindness, Bitot spots and xerosis, rather than corneal vascularisation.

Why is "Niacin" not the answer?

Niacin deficiency causes pellagra, with dermatitis in sun-exposed areas, diarrhoea and dementia.

Why is "Thiamine" not the answer?

Thiamine deficiency causes beriberi, with neuropathy, heart failure or encephalopathy.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nutrition and malnutrition: riboflavin deficiency in Pediatrics. Dietary sources include milk, eggs and green leafy vegetables.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Nutrition and malnutrition: riboflavin deficiency?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.