Abstract:
Background: developmental problems or delays are
preventable and others may be ameliorated by interventions.
Developmental delay and factors associated with it therefore
need to be identified in order for early and appropriate
interventions to be instituted. This study therefore aimed to
determine the prevalence of developmental delay among
under-fives and identify the sociodemographic factors
associated with the delay.
Methods: Four hundred and fifteen Nigerian children, aged 6-
59 months were assessed for development using the Schedule
of Growing Skills II tool. Developmental quotient below
threshold point of 85% in a developmental domain was used to
define developmental delay.
Results: Of the 415 children assessed, 147 (35.4%) had delay in
the various developmental domains. The highest prevalence
was in the manipulative domain (25.8%) followed by visual
(17.1%), cognitive skill (13.5%), hearing and language (6.3%),
interactive social (5.8%), self-care social (4.4%) and speech and
language (4.1%). Low maternal education was significantly
associated with delay in locomotive domain (4.3%; OR=5.00;
95% CI=1.04-23.84), manipulative domain (32.4%; OR=1.89;
Most 95%CI=1.21-2.95), visual domain (22.9%; OR=2.11; 95%
CI=1.25-3.55), speech and language (6.4%; OR=3.03; 95%
CI=1.05-8.75), interactive social (8%; OR=3.05; 95% CI=1.32-
7.04), self-care social (6.9%; OR=3.30; 95% CI=1.15-9.43),
cognitive (17.6%; OR=1.89; 95% CI= 1.07-3.35). Birth order
and household size also had significant association with delay
in various domains. There was no significant association
between socioeconomic class and developmental delay in any
of the domains.
Conclusion: The study showed that developmental delay was
relatively common among under-five children in North-West
Nigeria; and has a strong association with some sociodemographic
factors. There is need to screen children for
developmental delay for early intervention.
