Principales causas de morbilidad en la primera infancia en Ecuador: una revisión exhaustiva de la literatura

Objective: To identify the main causes of morbidity in early childhood in Ecuador through a systematic literature review. Methodology: A bibliographic search was conducted in national and international databases between 2014 and 2025. From an initial 384 records, 40 studies that met methodological and thematic criteria were included. Results: Five main groups of morbidity causes were identified in children under five years of age: acute respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis, the leading cause of pediatric hospitalization; digestive and parasitic diseases, with over 14,000 hospitalizations for diarrhea in 2019 and parasitic prevalence up to 45%; nutritional problems, primarily chronic malnutrition (20.1%) and iron-deficiency anemia (over 100,000 cases in 2024); neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, with official figures below international estimates; and oral health issues, with caries prevalence exceeding 60% in preschoolers and up to 87% in rural areas. Social determinants—poverty, territorial inequity, maternal education, access to clean water, and health services—were decisive factors in the disease burden. Conclusions: Early childhood in Ecuador faces a double burden of disease: persistence of preventable infectious illnesses and an increase in chronic and developmental conditions. The findings highlight the need for intersectoral policies to strengthen prevention and reduce inequalities affecting children.