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CDC Kerala 1: Organization of clinical child development services (1987-2013)
M K C Nair1, Babu George, G S Harikumaran Nair
1Child Development Centre, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, 695011, Kerala, India, cdcmkc@gmail.com.
Insights
The Child Development Centre (CDC) in Kerala pioneered a comprehensive, lifecycle approach to child and adolescent development. This model, focused on early stimulation and early intervention, has successfully served thousands of children.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Adolescent Health
- Public Health Initiatives
Background:
- The establishment of the Child Development Centre (CDC) in Kerala aimed to pilot a comprehensive child and adolescent development program in India.
- The initiative sought to understand the conceptualization, design, and scalability of a proactive, positive child development model for nationwide replication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and implement a replicable model for comprehensive child and adolescent development services.
- To establish a framework for understanding and scaling proactive, positive child development initiatives across India.
Main Methods:
- The CDC model was developed over 25 years, incorporating a lifecycle approach, research on early stimulation effectiveness, and validation of screening tools.
- Services include diagnostic (ultrasonology, genetic, metabolic), intervention packages, postgraduate training, clinic services up to 18 years, and community services.
Main Results:
- The CDC Kerala has provided services to 74,291 children over the last 10 years.
- Clinic services extend follow-up care until 18 years of age, with premarital counseling available until 24 years.
Conclusions:
- CDC Kerala represents the first government-sector model for comprehensive child and adolescent development services utilizing a lifecycle approach.
- It has been recognized as a collaborative center for the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) in Kerala.
Objective:
The main objective of establishing the Child Development Centre (CDC), Kerala for piloting comprehensive child adolescent development program in India, has been to understand the conceptualization, design and scaling up of a pro-active positive child development initiative, easily replicable all over India.
Methods:
The process of establishing the Child Development Centre (CDC) Kerala for research, clinical services, training and community extension services over the last 25 y, has been as follows; Step 1: Conceptualization--The life cycle approach to child development; Step 2: Research basis--CDC model early stimulation is effective; Step 3: Development and validation of seven simple developmental screening tools; Step 4: CDC Diagnostic services--Ultrasonology and genetic, and metabolic laboratory; Step 5: Developing seven intervention packages; Step 6: Training--Post graduate diploma in clinical child development; Step 7: CDC Clinic Services--seven major ones; Step 8: CDC Community Services--Child development referral units; Step 9: Community service delivery models--Childhood disability and for adolescent care counselling projects; Step 10: National capacity building--Four child development related courses.
Results:
CDC Kerala follow-up and clinic services are offered till 18 y of age and premarital counselling till 24 y of age as shown in "CDC Kerala Clinic Services Flow Chart" and 74,291 children have availed CDC clinic services in the last 10 y.
Conclusions:
CDC Kerala is the first model for comprehensive child adolescent development services using a lifecycle approach in the Government sector and hence declared as the collaborative centre for Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), in Kerala.