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The Development and Growth of Children Aged under 5 years in Northeastern Thailand: a Cross-Sectional Study

Rukmanee Butchon and Tippawan Liabsuetrakul

Objective: The first five years of a child’s life is a golden period of their development, contributing to their future learning skills and social and emotional abilities due to rapid gains in physical and development. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of delays in development and growth among children aged 1-5 years and to explore their association with maternal age. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Northeast of Thailand during April-September 2014. Seventy Thai mothers aged less than 34 years who were admitted to the postpartum ward of a regional hospital and their first child were included. Developmental delay among their first children was assessed by the Denver II, Thai version. Results: Among the 70 children, 22.9% were suspected to have delayed development with delays in language (14.3%), gross motor (10.0%), personal-social (5.7%) and fine motor (2.9%) skills being the most common domains detected. A higher prevalence of language delay was found in boys (21.4%) compared to girls (9.5%) but the difference was not statistically significant. Children aged 36-62 months showed a higher delayed development, especially in the gross motor domain. The prevalence of underweight and stunting were common among children aged 12-35 months (6.2% and 15.6%, respectively) and wasting was higher among those aged 36-62 months (5.3%). Hyperactivity and showing anger when displeased were common. Conclusion: A high prevalence of suspected delay was found among children aged 36-62 months. Suboptimal growth was common among those 12-35 months. Early identification of developmental delay and early interventions may have a substantial impact on financial, educational, and social costs in the future.