Family environments and early development in low-income nicaraguan children

The associations between child and family characteristics and children's developmental status were examined in a sample of 95 impoverished Nicaraguan children, aged two months to five years. Particular attention was placed on the interaction of child and family characteristics on development, and understanding how different domains of development (such as language and motor) are differentially affected by child and family characteristics. Variance in developmental outcomes was explained by child characteristics (weight status and age), and family and home characteristics (number of children under age five in the home, household density, and reported food shortages), but language and fine motor development were more sensitive to these factors than social and gross motor development. Among older children, developmental delays were more pronounced, suggesting that the more complex competencies required of children in the preschool years may be difficult to attain in highly impoverished environments.