Athaliah Reynolds, Staff Reporter

Children who are undernourished during the first two years of life are more likely to underperform in school and develop self-esteem issues as adults than those who receive adequate nutrition in early childhood, research has found.

The study, which was conducted by the Child Development Research Group in the Tropical Medicine Research Institute at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, also showed that early psychosocial stimulation could help to reduce the long-term developmental effects of malnutrition in children.

At least one professional in the child-development field believed this was evidence for the need to integrate intervention programmes in the primary health-care system to assist parents in improving children's development.

The research was carried out over a 20-year period and was conducted among roughly 210 children between the ages of nine months and two years old from several low-income families in the inner cities of Kingston and St Andrew.

Among the children assessed were 139 undernourished infants, who exhibited signs of physical stunting, a condition commonly associated with malnutrition, and approximately 71 adequately nourished children.

The study followed the children's progress closely, comparing their development at specific periods, aged seven, 11 and, most recently, 18.

Poorer cognitive skills

At age 18, it was found that the undernourished children had done less well in school and had poorer cognitive skills than the well-nourished children. They also had a lower self-image, were more anxious and reported more symptoms of depression than their counterparts.

Within the undernourished group, children were randomly assigned to community health aides for home interventions, which took place once a week for a period of two years. The health aides discussed parenting issues with the mothers, while play activities were demonstrated with the children using simple home-made toys and learning materials.

The UWI study found that the children from the intervention group showed significant improvements in their cognitive development.

The mothers from the intervention group also showed improved knowledge and practices of childbearing.

It was, therefore, concluded that integrating parenting skills and early childhood psychosocial stimulation could help to lessen the effects of malnourishment in children.

Professor Julie Meeks Gardener, head of the Caribbean Child Development Centre, said the UWI study was groundbreaking, and could be used to influence policy on earlychildhood health care in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

She said it was likely that these kinds of intervention programmes could benefit other children who were at risk for developmental problems.

"It really is important that the message is taken on board by government and policymakers and these techniques are widely utilised," said the professor.

"With training, not extensive or expensive training, paraprofessionals can coordinate these techniques in their routine visits to homes and so by very little addition, we can improve the development of children," said Meeks Gardener.

It is suggested that home interventions are done through community health aides who access the wider community through community health centres across the island.

athaliah.reynolds@gleanerjm.com