Developmental Functioning of Young Indian Children with Malnutrition

Abstract

The paper examines the effect of malnutrition on the developmental functioning of young Indian children. A total of 117 children between the ages 0 to 6 years attending the anganwadis of Chandigarh city were recruited. The Indian Developmental Inventory was used to assess developmental functioning. Anthropometric evaluations were done by a pediatrician and these included height and weight. Nearly 30 % of children of the study population were found to be stunted and 22 % were wasted. There were significant differences between the 3 groups of children on developmental functioning: Social DQ (F = 3.46, P = .036); Communication DQ (F = 3.16, P = .047); and Total DQ (F = 5.17, P = .007). Children with chronic malnutrition had the most impaired developmental scores. The problem of poor child development urgently needs to be tackled with child nutrition, early stimulation, and development programmes.