How Does Childhood Poverty and Hindered Cognitive Development Factor into Children’s Poor Academic Performance in Developing Nations?
Date
4-10-2021
Location
Online
Description
According to the World Bank, over 689 million people are currently living in poverty and children, particularly those in developing nations, make up half of the impoverished population. In an environment with limited resources and increased exposure to numerous risk factors, the brain fails to develop to it’s full potential and cognitive mechanisms can face detrimental long-lasting effects. This research analyzes the most prominent risk factors that are associated with childhood poverty in developing countries: inadequate cognitive stimulation, stunting, iodine deficiency, and iron deficiency. The lack of proper brain stimulation and poor nutrition have lead to smaller gray matter volumes in several regions of the brain including the hippocampus, and frontal and temporal lobe volumes. Both, the risk factors and hindered brain development, explain the prevalence of poor academic performance of children. The persistent lack of education and poor academic performance can ultimately result in major economic implications such as deficits in the human capital and lower incomes during adulthood. Understanding these key areas is critical in order to create more effective interventions for children who experience the biggest burden.
Presentation Type
Presentation
How Does Childhood Poverty and Hindered Cognitive Development Factor into Children’s Poor Academic Performance in Developing Nations?
Online
According to the World Bank, over 689 million people are currently living in poverty and children, particularly those in developing nations, make up half of the impoverished population. In an environment with limited resources and increased exposure to numerous risk factors, the brain fails to develop to it’s full potential and cognitive mechanisms can face detrimental long-lasting effects. This research analyzes the most prominent risk factors that are associated with childhood poverty in developing countries: inadequate cognitive stimulation, stunting, iodine deficiency, and iron deficiency. The lack of proper brain stimulation and poor nutrition have lead to smaller gray matter volumes in several regions of the brain including the hippocampus, and frontal and temporal lobe volumes. Both, the risk factors and hindered brain development, explain the prevalence of poor academic performance of children. The persistent lack of education and poor academic performance can ultimately result in major economic implications such as deficits in the human capital and lower incomes during adulthood. Understanding these key areas is critical in order to create more effective interventions for children who experience the biggest burden.