Growth faltering and developmental delay in children with PEM.

Anthropometric measurements, Somatic Quotient (SQ), Development Quotient (DQ), Motor Quotient (MoQ) and Mental Quotient (MeQ) in 136 children in the age group 1-24 months with varying degrees of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) were compared with an equal number of comparable well nourished children. There was a progressive reduction in SQ, DQ, MoQ and MeQ as the degree of PEM advanced. There was a direct linear correlation between SQ and DQ and between height and DQ in 4 degrees PEM. However, there was no direct correlation between head circumference and either DQ or MeQ.