Developmental training by parents of the very young child with potential handicap

Fifteen children aged 9 to 15 months, who were on the observation register of a city, and considered to be showing signs of delayed development, were studied over a 3-month period. Following assessment, the parents were shown ways in which they could train their children appropriate to their development levels, in separate fields of locomotion, social development, language, and hand-eye coordination. Eight out of 13 children with delay showed significant improvement in general quotients of development over the 3 months. This occurred in 5 out of 7 children with no signs of neurological abnormality at the time of the study, and in 3 out of 6 children with signs of neurological disorder. Two children without delay showed no significant improvement. Parents' reactions are discussed, and a description is given of the way in which this project was designed, suggesting implications for future implications for future Community Health services.