Associations Among Early Stimulation, Stunting, and Child Development in Four Countries in the East Asia–Pacific

Citation:
Nirmala Rao, Ben Richards, Carrie Lau, Ann M. Weber, Jin Sun, Gary L. Darmstadt, Alanna Sincovich, John Bacon‑Shone, Patrick Ip. Associations Among Early Stimulation, Stunting, and Child Development in Four Countries in the East Asia–Pacific. International Journal of Early Childhood. August 2020. 52(2); 175-193.

Keywords:
Early child development, Early stimulation, Home learning activities, Preschool, Stunting

Abstract:
This study examined associations among preschool attendance, home learning activities,
stunting status, and early child development using data from the validation
study of the East Asia–Pacific Early Child Development Scales (EAP-ECDS). Participants
were children aged 3 to 5 years from Cambodia (n = 1178; 30% stunted),
Mongolia (n = 1226; 11% stunted), Papua New Guinea (n = 1697; 50% stunted), and
Vanuatu (n = 674; 44% stunted). Child development was directly assessed using the
EAP-ECDS and children’s preschool experiences and home learning activities were
reported by parents. Preschool attendance, preschool duration, and home learning
activities were positively related to child development for non-stunted and stunted
children, demonstrating that stimulating interactions in the home environment and
early childhood education serve as modifiable factors that can help to reduce the
negative effects of stunting on children’s cognitive and non-cognitive development,
and highlighting the importance of “nurturing care” for the development of both
non-stunted and stunted children.