CDC Kerala 5: Developmental therapy clinic experience--use of Child Development Centre grading for motor milestones

Area of Science:

• Pediatric developmental neurology
• Early intervention services
• Child development research

Background:

• Developmental delay and disability affect infants under two years old.
• Specialized clinics are crucial for early intervention and therapy.
• Child Development Centre (CDC) Kerala provides specialized developmental intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the experiences and outcomes of an intervention program.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a developmental therapy clinic for infants.
• To assess improvements in developmental status for babies under two years.

Main Methods:

• 600 infants under two years with developmental delay/disability were enrolled.
• Intervention provided at the Child Development Centre (CDC) Kerala.
• Evaluations included CDC grading (head holding, sitting, standing), Amiel Tison angles, and Trivandrum Developmental Screening Chart (TDSC).

Main Results:

• Statistically significant improvements observed after 6 months of intervention.
• Reduced abnormal TDSC scores in 2-4 month olds (25.5%).
• Improved head holding (87.1%) and TDSC (19.4%) in 4-8 month olds.
• Reduced abnormal sitting grades in 8-12 month olds (71.7%) and >12 month olds (35.3%).
• Significant improvement in standing grade for infants over 12 months (78.8%).

Conclusions:

• Developmental intervention/therapy clinics are effective for improving developmental status.
• A combination of center-based therapy and home-based parental support yields positive results.
• Early intervention services at CDC Kerala demonstrate significant benefits for children with developmental delays.