Child development: risk factors for adverse outcomes in developing countries.
Poverty and associated health, nutrition, and social factors prevent at least 200 million children in developing countries from attaining their developmental potential. We review the evidence linking compromised development with modifiable biological and psychosocial risks encountered by children from birth to 5 years of age. We identify four key risk factors where the need for intervention is urgent: stunting, inadequate cognitive stimulation, iodine deficiency, and iron deficiency anaemia. The evidence is also sufficient to warrant interventions for malaria, intrauterine growth restriction, maternal depression, exposure to violence, and exposure to heavy metals. We discuss the research needed to clarify the effect of other potential risk factors on child development. The prevalence of the risk factors and their effect on development and human potential are substantial. Furthermore, risks often occur together or cumulatively, with concomitant increased adverse effects on the development of the world's poorest children.
Walker
Susan P
SP
Epidemiology Research Unit, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. susan.walker@uwimona.edu.jm
Wachs
Theodore D
TD
Gardner
Julie Meeks
JM
Lozoff
Betsy
B
Wasserman
Gail A
GA
Pollitt
Ernesto
E
Carter
Julie A
JA
D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D044342:Malnutrition; D016487:Parenting; D011203:Poverty; D011610:Psychosocial Deprivation; D012307:Risk Factors; D014754:Violence