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Stunting has negative effects on children’s development. However, stimulation protects against developmental failure. The aim of this study is to assess the extent to which the sex of children modulates these relationships in sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis uses pooled data from the latest demographic and health surveys from Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Chad, and Togo. The definition of developmental status is based on the early development index of children at 3–4 years of age and the assessment of physical and psychological stimulation based on activities grouped into 6 categories. The explanatory models used are the simple and bivariate probit. Overall, two-fifths of children are stunted, with an equivalent prevalence between sex. More than half of children experience a developmental problem at different degrees, accentuated for boys. The effects of stunting on child developmental failure are noticeable especially for young boys, but are mitigated by the use of active stimulation in childhood. The robustness of the results based on four countries should urge the promotion of stimulation activities in a context of high prevalence of stunting and developmental failure.