Parent's reports predict their child's developmental problems

Raymond C Tervo1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Clinical Pediatrics
|September 10, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Parents reported significant developmental delays in children, with speech and social interaction problems being most common. Language symptoms significantly increased the likelihood of overall developmental delays, highlighting the need for early assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • Parental reporting is crucial for identifying potential developmental delays in children.
  • Early identification of developmental issues enables timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document parental reports of developmental delays in young children.
  • To identify common symptoms and their association with delayed development.

Main Methods:

  • Survey of 180 parents/guardians of children aged 16-70 months.
  • Analysis of reported developmental problems and their frequency.
  • Statistical analysis to determine associations between symptoms and delayed development.

Main Results:

  • Parents reported an average of 8.28 developmental problems per child.
  • Most common issues included speech, understanding, social interaction, and behavioral problems.
  • Language symptoms were associated with a 2.25 increased odds of developmental delay.

Conclusions:

  • Parental reports provide quantifiable data on developmental difficulties.
  • Specific symptoms, particularly language-related ones, are strong predictors of delayed development.
  • Comprehensive assessments are necessary for children with reported developmental concerns.

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