Childhood malnutrition and mental development.

A talk to camera in which Dr. Grantham-McGregor discusses the problems which arise in assessing whether children who have survived malnutrition are consequently impaired in their mental development or whether social factors are responsible for poor mental development, such as poor housing and sanitation, lack of toys and books. In the course of her inquiry, she points to the difficulties of measuring cognitive functions in developing countries, and to the variability of the condition itself. She examines nutritional implementational studies and research into behaviour problems in undernourished children and looks at comparisons between the progress of adopted children, previously malnourished, and those who remained with their original families.