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

Abstract

Objectives: To document the experiences of the intervention given to children who attended the developmental therapy clinic of Child Development Centre (CDC) Kerala, a specialized clinic for providing developmental intervention/therapy for babies less than two years with developmental delay/disability.

Methods: All the babies referred to this speciality clinic from developmental screening/evaluation clinics of CDC were registered in the clinic and re-evaluation was done using CDC grading for head holding, sitting, standing, Amiel Tison passive angles, and Trivandrum Developmental Screening Chart (TDSC) 0-2 y.

Results: Out of a total of 600 consecutive babies below 2 y with developmental delay/disability referred to developmental therapy clinic, on comparing the test results at enrollment and after 6 mo of intervention, a statistically significant reduction was observed (i) in the 2-4 mo age group with regard to abnormal TDSC (25.5%), (ii) in the 4-8 mo age group with regard to abnormal head holding grade (87.1%) and abnormal TDSC (19.4%), (iii) in the 8-12 mo age group, with regard to abnormal sitting grade (71.7%) and (iv) in the above 12 mo age group with regard to abnormal sitting grade (35.3%) and abnormal standing grade (78.8%).

Conclusions: The experience of organizing the developmental intervention/therapy clinic at CDC Kerala has shown that therapy services by developmental therapists in a centre and supportive therapy by mother at home is useful in improving the developmental status of children with developmental delay.