Table 2. Proportion of different factors related to the child’s medical and perinatal history, parental level of education, stimulation & learning opportunities for the 114 studied children aged 12–48 months in Kahemba, Democratic Republic of Congo.
| Total | HH with konzo | HH without konzo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variables | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) |
| Child’s factors | |||
| Household with konzo* affected member | 61 (54) | 61 (100) | 00 (00)* |
| Child’s previous morbidities # | 18 (15.8) | 12 (19.7) | 06 (11.3) |
| Introduction of solid foods < 6 months | 61 (55) | 41 (68.3) | 20 (38.5) ** |
| Maternal smoking during pregnancy | 01 (01) | 01 (0.7) | 00 (0) |
| Maternal alcohol during pregnancy | 32 (28) | 20 (33.3) | 12 (23.1) |
| Number of nights of soaking of cassava < 3 days | 24 (21.4) | 12 (20) | 12 (23.1) |
| Number of nights of soaking of cassava ≥ 3 days | 88 (78.6) | 48 (80) | 40 (76.9) |
| Mother level of education* | |||
| Primary | 39 (35) | 29 (48.3) | 10 (18.9) |
| Secondary | 57 (50) | 26 (43.3) | 31 (58.5) |
| Professional | 04 (3.5) | 01 (1.7) | 03 (5.7) |
| None | 13 (12) | 04 (6.7) | 09 (16.98) |
| Father level of education (N = 110) | |||
| Primary | 16 (15) | 12 (20.3) | 04 (6.8) |
| Secondary | 76 (69) | 42 (71.2) | 34 (66.7) |
| Professional | 07 (06) | 01 (1.7) | 06 (11.8) |
| University | 07 (06) | 03 (5.1) | 04 (7.8) |
| None | 04 (03) | 01 (1.7) | 03 (5.9) |
| Stimulation, learning opportunities & parenting style | |||
| Storytelling to kids | 28 (25) | 16 (26.7) | 12 (23.1) |
| Uses books with pictures | 32 (28.6) | 17 (23.3) | 15 (28.5) |
| Read to the child | 26 (23.2) | 15 (25) | 11 (21.2) |
| Play with kitchenette | 72 (64.3) | 38 (63.3) | 34 (65.4) |
| Play with homemade toys | 82 (73.2) | 42 (70) | 40 (76.9) |
| Play with bought toys | 43 (38.4) | 20 (33.3) | 23 (44.2) |
| Left alone home more than 10 times/month | 05 (04.5) | 01 (1.7) | 04 (7.7) |
| Explain without being upset | 43 (38.4) | 24 (40) | 19 (36.5) |
| Raise voice | 92 (82.1) | 50 (83.3) | 42 (80.8) |
| Take away toys to punish | 35 (31.3) | 19 (31.7) | 16 (30.8) |
| Give extra work to punish | 25 (22.3) | 12 (20) | 13 (25) |
| Spank to punish | 64 (57.1) | 38 (63.3) | 26 (50) |
| Use stick to punish | 44 (39.3) | 23 (38.3) | 21 (40.4) |
| Hit on the head to punish | 14 (12.5) | 04 (6.7) | 10 (19.2)* |
HH: household; Konzo: irreversible upper-motor disease linked to cyanide neurotoxicity from poorly processed cassava.
#Child previous morbidities included convulsions, brain trauma, sickle cell anemia, or central nervous system infections.
*Chi-square p-value < 0.05.
**Chi-square p-value < 0.01.