Screening for developmental delay in urban Rwandan children: a cross sectional study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Global Health
• Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

• Systematic screening is crucial for early identification of developmental delay (DD) in children.
• Limited data exists on DD prevalence and risk factors in urban Rwandan infants.
• This study focuses on infants aged 9-16 months in Kigali, Rwanda.

Purpose of the Study:

• Determine the prevalence of DD in urban Rwandan infants (9-16 months).
• Identify risk factors associated with DD in this population.
• Inform health planning for early identification and intervention strategies.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study conducted in Kigali, Rwanda (August-November 2019).
• 376 parent/caregiver-child pairs screened using the Kinyarwandan version of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3).
• Logistic regression analysis used to identify factors associated with DD.

Main Results:

• Overall DD prevalence was 24.6% (27.2% in 9-10-month olds, 22.4% in 15-16-month olds).
• Highest prevalence of delay observed in gross motor (12.8%) and problem-solving (7.5%) domains.
• Preterm infants (AOR=8.3) and those from Nyarugenge District (AOR=2.15) showed significantly higher risk of DD.

Conclusions:

• 24.6% of urban Rwandan infants (9-16 months) exhibit ASQ-detectable DD.
• Prematurity and district of origin are strongly correlated with DD.
• Study underscores the need for integrated developmental surveillance and early intervention in Kigali.