Factors associated with cognitive and motor delays in Malaysian infants aged 6–12 months.

The development of cognitive and motor skills early in life is essential for a child's global development and learning, which in turn influences later health and well-being. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the associations between sociodemographic factors and nutritional factors with cognitive and motor delays in infants aged 6–12 months. This study involved 200 mother-infant pairs from three randomly selected maternal and child health clinics. Results showed high prevalence of cognitive delay (37.0%) and motor delay (58.0%). Infants with small gestational age, anaemia, and single mothers had an increased likelihood of cognitive delay. Boys, anaemic infants, and non-exclusively breastfed infants were more likely to develop motor delay. Nutritional education programmes and interventions for mothers should emphasize early nutrition such as exclusive breastfeeding practices and the prevention of anaemia in infants in order to improve cognitive and motor development among infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]