Study in Iodine-Deficient Areas: What Factors Influence Motor Development in Children Under Two Years old?

Abstract

Background: Iodine deficiency areas usually occur in highlands above 600 meters above sea level. Iodine is an essential material for thyroid hormones, which plays a role in metabolic stability and organ function. Iodine deficiency is the main cause of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), which affect children’s growth and development issues that affect the motor development of children under two years old in iodine-deficient areas.

Methods: 46 respondents participated in a cross-sectional study with iodine deficiency in Magelang Regency. In this study, five independent variables were examined: wasting, stunting, underweight, age, mother knowledge, mother’s education, mother’s occupation, gender, and parenting styles. Meanwhile, the dependent variable is motoric development. The author uses a logistic regression test at the final stage.

Results: Bivariate analysis showed that gender, underweight, and stunting were significantly related to the motoric development of children under two years old with a p-value <0.05. Multivariate analysis showed that iodine deficiency in under two years old who experienced underweight and stunting, had a significant effect on child motoric development.

Conclusion: Stunting, underweight, and gender are factors that affect the motor development of children under two years old in iodine deficient areas. Children under two years old who are underweight have a risk of delayed motoric development of 14,222 times compared to those who are not underweight, and children under two years old who are stunted have a risk of 16,915 times compared to those who are not stunted.