PHA-Exchange> Lancet Series, Child development in developing countries

[Claudio]

From: "Jawad Asghar" <jawad at alumni.washington.edu>
> The Lancet 2007; 369:145-157
> DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60076-2
>
> Child development: risk factors for adverse outcomes in developing 
> countries
> Prof Susan P WalkerPhD et al
>
> Summary
> 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.
>
> This is the second in a Series of three articles about child development 
> in developing countries
>
> Complete article is available at the following site:
> http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673607600762/fulltext
>