Relationship of Biological Family Characteristics to The Pattern of Growth and Development of Children in Alexandria, Egypt

Background: Children during early years of age go through rapid growth and development that is greatly influenced by various factors of which biological family characteristics are of prime importance. Objective: This study aimed to portray the current profile of biological family characteristics in relation to the pattern of growth and development of children at two years of age in Alexandria, 2017 and to compare the results with previous comparable study. Method: The study included 128 children; 16 children from each district. Data were collected by interview questionnaire and anthropometric measurements and Denver II Developmental Screening test. Results: Significant negative correlation was found between weight of studied children and both family size and birth order. Large family size, older or younger maternal age, short or prolonged inter-birth intervals and high birth order were significantly associated with delayed development. Conclusion: Large family size, older or younger maternal age, short or prolonged inter-birth intervals and high birth order were significantly associated with delayed development. Marked effort is needed to achieve the desired success waited in the Egyptian Family Planning Program.