Predicting Factors of Developmental Delay in Infant and Early Children

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with suspicious developmental delay in infants and early childhood. METHODS: Participants were 133 infants, aged from birth to 6 years old and their mothers, who were being seen at 16 Public health centers in B city. Korean Denver II was used to test infant development. chi2-test, Fisher's exact test and multiple logistic regression were used with SPSS 19.0 to analyze data. RESULTS: Of participant infants, 7.5% were below the 3rd percentile for the weight percentile, 8.4% is a weight curve that crosses more than 2 percentile lines on the growth charts after previous achievement, and 9.8% had suspicious developmental delay according to Korean Denver II. Further the predictive factors related to suspicious development delay in the children were decrease of weight percentile (Odds Ratio [OR]=6.69, Confidence Interval [CI])=1.22-36.45), low economic state (OR=6.26, CI=1.50-26.00), and developmental delay perceived by their mothers (OR=4.99, CI=1.24-20.06). CONCLUSION: It is necessary to build a government level system to follow management of development of infants and children from the time of birth. Especially, it is necessary to develop a program for children in low income families.