OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to investigate potential risk factors for growth faltering among children under than 5 years of age. METHOD: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 553 children under 5 years from diarrhea patient households in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. Height and weight measurements were obtained at baseline and at a 12-month follow-up. Caregivers of young children were administered a monthly questionnaire on household sociodemographic characteristics and hygiene practices. RESULTS: Children with caregiver reports of mouthing soil at the majority of household visits had a significant reduction in their height for age z-scores (HAZ) from baseline to the 12-month follow-up (ΔHAZ -0.28 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): -0.51, -0.05)). A significant reduction in HAZ was also observed for children in households with animals in their sleeping space (ΔHAZ -0.37 (95% CI: -0.71, -0.04)). CONCLUSION: These findings provide further evidence to support the hypothesis that child mouthing of soil and the presence of animals in the child's sleeping space are potential risk factors for growth faltering among young children. Interventions are urgently needed to provide clean play and sleeping spaces for young children to reduce exposure to fecal pathogens through child mouthing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to investigate potential risk factors for growth faltering among children under than 5 years of age. METHOD: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 553 children under 5 years from diarrheapatient households in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. Height and weight measurements were obtained at baseline and at a 12-month follow-up. Caregivers of young children were administered a monthly questionnaire on household sociodemographic characteristics and hygiene practices. RESULTS:Children with caregiver reports of mouthing soil at the majority of household visits had a significant reduction in their height for age z-scores (HAZ) from baseline to the 12-month follow-up (ΔHAZ -0.28 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): -0.51, -0.05)). A significant reduction in HAZ was also observed for children in households with animals in their sleeping space (ΔHAZ -0.37 (95% CI: -0.71, -0.04)). CONCLUSION: These findings provide further evidence to support the hypothesis that child mouthing of soil and the presence of animals in the child's sleeping space are potential risk factors for growth faltering among young children. Interventions are urgently needed to provide clean play and sleeping spaces for young children to reduce exposure to fecal pathogens through child mouthing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Authors: Tahmina Parvin; Elizabeth D Thomas; Kelly Endres; Daniel Leung; Md Sazzadul Islam Bhuyian; Ismat Minhaj Uddin; Md Tasdik Hasan; Fatema Zohura; Jahed Masud; Shirajum Monira; Jamie Perin; Munirul Alam; A S G Faruque; Christine Marie George Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2022-01-10 Impact factor: 3.707