EFFECT OF MATERNAL DEPRIVATION AND FAMILY SURROUNDINGS ON INSTITUTIONALIZED PRESCHOOL CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Introduction: Institutionalized children experience ineffective nurturing social and environmental conditions resulting in maternal, sensory, cognitive, linguistic, and psychosocial deprivation. Objective: Assessing and early detecting the effect of maternal and family surroundings deprivation on institutionalized preschool children’s development. Subjects and Methods: 50 institutionalized children of both sexes with age ranged 3-5 years underwent auxological assessment height (Ht), weight (Wt), head circumference (HC), and left mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and Portage developmental assessment in comparison to 50 matching home living controls. Results: institutionalized children showed statistically significant lower Ht, Wt and HC Z-scores and percentiles and lower developmental quotient (DQ) scores across all developmental domains when compared to home living children, meanwhile; institutionalized children had statistically significant higher MUAC Z-scores and percentiles compared to home living children. Duration of institutionalization duration was inversely correlated to social and motor development without affecting auxological measurements or other developmental domains. Conclusion: Institutionalized maternally deprived children have delayed physical growth and development (social, language, self care, cognitive and motor). Keywords: Maternal deprivation - Growth - Child development Institutionalization- social development - language development - self care - cognitive development - motor development.