Child development in developing countries 2 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 modifi able 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 defi ciency, and iron defi ciency anaemia. The evidence is also suffi cient 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 eff ect of other potential risk factors on child development. The prevalence of the risk factors and their eff ect on development and human potential are substantial. Furthermore, risks often occur together or cumulatively, with concomitant increased adverse eff ects on the development of the world’s poorest children.