Assessment of Mental and Motor Abilities of School Going Children with Anaemia

Anaemia is the major disorder affecting populations in oil spheres of life in most developing countries including India. Iron deficiency in school-age children, is associated with retardation of growth, poor cognitive development and behavioural abnormalities. The profound varied effects include delayed physical growth and motor development, general effects on cognitive development resulting in lower Intelligence Quotient (IQ), (lower by 15 points or more in the severely malnourished), impairments of memory, less attention span, deficiency learning and lower educationol achievement. The longer the developmental delays remain uncorrected, the greater the chance of permanent effects. In developing countries, like India where few children live to see their situation improve, once the effects of under nutrition are established in eariy childhood, they typically become permanent. The intellectual potential of such children at school entry are most likely irrevocable. Hence this study was undertaken with the objective of assessing the nutritional status and mental and motor ability of anaemic school going children.