Children at risk: perinatal events, developmental delays and the effects of a developmental stimulation program

This paper reports the findings of two studies done between 1977 and 1981 in the Philippines. The first study examined the performance of 911 children, with histories of perinatal risk events, on a restandardized Philippine (Metro-Manila) version of the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) which was developed in 1980. This study established that the children performed significantly below Philippine norms. A second study, cognizant of the findings of the first, introduced nursing interventions designed to address some needs of preterm infants and their mothers. Findings suggest that development stimulation can significantly improve the developmental status of preterm infants.