Introduction
cognitive and socio-emotional development
The cumulative impact of health, nutrition, care, and safety risk factors beginning before conception and continuing throughout gestation and early life can set back brain development as well as physical growth. A recent estimate indicates that these challenges may affect up to 43% of children in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) [Poor nutrition during the first 1000 days of life can negatively impact cognition by affecting the development of the nervous system and may have long-lasting impacts on learning outcomes [Caregiving includes the provision of proper health and nutrition as well as learning opportunities within a safe and secure environment and may manifest in cumulative cognitive and socioemotional outcomes over the life course [Better health [or skills] a child obtains from parental investments in early life may facilitate acquiring even higher levels of health [skills] later [Differences in indicators of nutrition and cognitive development across income strata have been well documented; somewhat more noteworthy is the fact that these differences are found at very early ages [The current study builds upon the previous work by indicating the wealth disparities in cognitive and socio-emotional development in the context of Vietnam. Specifically, we aim to: (1) quantify wealth gaps in both cognitive and socio-emotional development in early childhood (at 1y and 2y), and examine whether these gaps persist in middle childhood (at 6-7y); (2) explore how home quality environment, maternal factors, child nutritional status, and preschool attendance would mitigate the wealth gaps.