Serum ferritin, Alpha-1 Acid Glycoprotein (α1AGP), c-reactive protein (CRP), and ceruloplasmin (CER) were studied in 83 children with an age range of three to thirty six months. Fifty nine cases suffered from protein energy Malnutrition (PEM), 29 marasmus and 30 kwashiorkor (KWO). Twenty four healthy children were included as controls. the malnourished group exhibited significant reduction in anthropometric measurement scores and in serum albumin and prealbumin levels than those of the control group. CER was significantly reduced in PEM cases. Evidence of infection by an elevated α1AGP, A positive CRP and the preence of diarrhea was also demonstrated in the malnourished group but not in the control one. Ferritin level was significantly elevated in the KWO group, While in the marasmus one the elevation was non-significant. At the same time 100% of the KWO and 89.7% of the marasmus cases had a hemoglobin level of less than 11 g/dL. Also 46.4% of the KWO and 48.2% of the marasmus cases had a serum iron of less than 50 µg/dL. In such circumstances the elevation in serum ferritin level, in accordance with other acute phase proteins, could reflect increased secretion and/or possible leakage from damaged tissues especially when evidence of increased body iron stores is lacking.