La desnutrición infantil y su impacto en el desarrollo psicomotor de la primera infancia.

Abstract

Chronic malnutrition, particularly in rural areas of Ecuador, is a significant public health problem affecting a substantial proportion of children. This condition has direct consequences on children's physical, cognitive, and emotional development, which in turn impacts their quality of life. Objective: To determine the relationship between chronic malnutrition and alterations in psychomotor development during early childhood. Method: A systematic review of observational studies published between 2019 and 2023 was conducted. Information sources included LILACS and Google Scholar; keywords and Boolean operators were used. Article selection was based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, quality was assessed using the JBI checklist, and risk of bias was analyzed with an adaptation of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results: Six cross-sectional analytical studies were included. These studies showed a strong association between chronic malnutrition and delayed psychomotor development, especially in the language domain. Conclusions: Chronic malnutrition is strongly associated with delays in psychomotor development in children. It is crucial to implement early intervention programs and conduct ongoing evaluations to improve the health and development of these children.