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Early childhood stunting and later fine motor abilities

Susan M Chang1, Susan P Walker, Sally Grantham-McGregor

  • 1Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. susan.changlopez@uwimona.edu.jm

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|March 30, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Early childhood stunting is linked to poorer fine motor skills in later childhood, specifically in rapid sequential continuous movements. These motor skill deficits are associated with lower IQ and reduced school achievement in affected children.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Neuroscience
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Early childhood stunting, defined as height-for-age 2 standard deviations or more below reference values, can have long-term consequences.
  • Interventions in early childhood, such as psychosocial stimulation and nutritional supplementation, aim to mitigate these effects.
  • The impact of stunting and early interventions on fine motor abilities and their relation to cognitive and academic outcomes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the long-term effects of early childhood stunting on fine motor abilities at 11 to 12 years of age.
  • To examine the influence of early psychosocial and nutritional interventions on these fine motor skills.
  • To determine the relationship between fine motor abilities, intelligence, and school achievement in children with a history of stunting.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study comparing stunted children (who participated in early childhood interventions) with non-stunted children.
  • Fine motor abilities were assessed using tests measuring rapid sequential continuous movements (RSCM) and dexterity.
  • Testers were blinded to the children's group assignment to ensure objective assessment.

Main Results:

  • No significant effect of early childhood interventions on fine motor abilities was observed.
  • Stunted children exhibited significantly lower scores in rapid sequential continuous movements (RSCM) compared to non-stunted peers (p=0.01).
  • Among stunted children, poorer RSCM scores were significantly associated with lower IQ (p=0.04) and reduced school achievement (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Early childhood stunting is associated with deficits in rapid sequential continuous hand movements during later childhood.
  • Children with impaired fine motor skills due to early stunting face an increased risk of lower intelligence and academic performance.
  • These findings highlight the critical impact of early growth on motor development and subsequent cognitive and educational outcomes.
Abstract

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