Extending the Developmental Milestones Checklist for use in a different context in Sub-Saharan Africa

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Pediatrics
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Sub-Saharan Africa faces a high burden of infant neurodevelopmental delays due to malnutrition, malaria, and HIV.
• Effective interventions require validated developmental assessment tools tailored to the region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a culturally appropriate tool for assessing infant development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• To assess the reliability and sensitivity of the developed tool to age, nutritional status, and environmental factors.

Main Methods:

• The Developmental Milestones Checklist-II (DMC-II) was developed in Burkina Faso, West Africa.
• It assesses motor, language, and personal-social skills in children aged 3-24 months.
• Reliability and sensitivity were evaluated using established statistical methods.

Main Results:

• DMC-II demonstrated high internal, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability (>0.7).
• Scores showed strong correlations with child's age (rs > 0.7) and sensitivity to nutritional status (stunting, wasting, underweight).
• Scores correlated with home environment measures, including play materials and caregiver interactions.

Conclusions:

• The DMC-II is a practical, reliable, and sensitive tool for assessing infant development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Trained fieldworkers with no prior experience can effectively use the DMC-II.
• The tool supports the evaluation of interventions aimed at preventing neurodevelopmental delays.