UNLABELLED: Prisons are considered a very high risk environment, but there is very scarce scientific information on the growth and development of children who live there. OBJECTIVE: With the purpose of evaluating growth and development of children living with their mothers in prison, a cross sectional survey was performed in 68 children aged 0-3 years in Unit 31, a prison for mothers with children located at 30 km from Buenos Aires. METHODS: Weight, supine length, and developmental quotient (Cats Clams) was measured, PRUNAPE, and SQE-SE test were administered (screening tests for detecting developmental and emotional disorders, respectively). Mothers' child rearing practices were assessed with a previously standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: Age range of mothers was 18-46 years, median 23.5 yr. Duration of stay in prison of children was 0.05-35 months. Mean ± standard error of "Z" score for height was -0.30 ± 0.12, weight 0.40 ± 0.12; body mass index 0.91 ± 0.18; head circumference 0.19 ± 0.14; and developmental quotient 92.4 ± 1.7. There were only 7 children out of 67 who failed the PRUNAPE. Mean Cats Clams developmental score was 91.3. ASQ-SE test showed high prevalence (39%) of emotional and social integration problems. Mothers' knowledge about child rearing practices was poorer than that found in a normal urban local population. There were no trends for results to be related to the length of stay in prison. CONCLUSION: Children are shorter and with higher BMI than reference. Emotional disorders are frequent (39%). Mothers' knowledge about child care was poorer than that found in a near population. A program for longitudinal surveillance for all prisons in the country was proposed to the authorities.
UNLABELLED: Prisons are considered a very high risk environment, but there is very scarce scientific information on the growth and development of children who live there. OBJECTIVE: With the purpose of evaluating growth and development of children living with their mothers in prison, a cross sectional survey was performed in 68 children aged 0-3 years in Unit 31, a prison for mothers with children located at 30 km from Buenos Aires. METHODS: Weight, supine length, and developmental quotient (Cats Clams) was measured, PRUNAPE, and SQE-SE test were administered (screening tests for detecting developmental and emotional disorders, respectively). Mothers' child rearing practices were assessed with a previously standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: Age range of mothers was 18-46 years, median 23.5 yr. Duration of stay in prison of children was 0.05-35 months. Mean ± standard error of "Z" score for height was -0.30 ± 0.12, weight 0.40 ± 0.12; body mass index 0.91 ± 0.18; head circumference 0.19 ± 0.14; and developmental quotient 92.4 ± 1.7. There were only 7 children out of 67 who failed the PRUNAPE. Mean Cats Clams developmental score was 91.3. ASQ-SE test showed high prevalence (39%) of emotional and social integration problems. Mothers' knowledge about child rearing practices was poorer than that found in a normal urban local population. There were no trends for results to be related to the length of stay in prison. CONCLUSION: Children are shorter and with higher BMI than reference. Emotional disorders are frequent (39%). Mothers' knowledge about child care was poorer than that found in a near population. A program for longitudinal surveillance for all prisons in the country was proposed to the authorities.