http://doi.org/10.33698/NRF0045 –  Suraj j masih ,karobi das ,baljit kaur

   Abstract: a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at village dadu majara, UT, Chandigarh to assess the developmental milestones and the health of toddlers. A total of 160 children between the age group of 12-24 months comprished the sample of the study .the achieved developmental milestones were assessed with the help of the denver development screening test.majority of the children were able to achieve the developmental milestones .some of the activities that the children had difficult according to their age were broad jump,pedaling tricycle ,jumping in place (gross motor),imitating vertical line,tower of 4 and 8 cubes (fine motor),points one named body part,naming a picture ,use of plurals and combining two different words (language) and body part,naming a picture ,use of plurals and combining two different words (language) and removing gannents (personal social ) .the physical health assessment revealed that children were suffering from varied degrees of malnutrition from grade I to iv .about 15.6% of subjects were found with abnormal physical characteristics. Iiinesses (15 days prior to the study ) were mostly fever,cough ,loose stools ,prickly heat, vomting and enlarged cervical lymph nodes.

Key Words :

Introduction

  • Developmental milestones health , toddlers  healthy  children the future   of children has been consider  as an integral part of national development .the national policy too recognizes children as the nations supreme important asset. The most basic care ,given to the child is monitoring his growth and development .if optimizing chances of a child attaining full potential is the corner stone of childcare then assessment of developmental milestones must be mandatory.Developmental assessment is the process the technique of quota sampling Designed to understand the competencies of  technique used for selecting children the child ,care giver and environment ,which between the age groups of  12-15 is likely to help a child in making  full use of  months,18-21 months and 21-24 months.developmental delay should be a mandatory  the  total children who met the eligibility responsibility of the care giving physician   criteria were 333 and after that purposive and community health nurse ,since they    sample of 160 children were taken for the are the first medical professionals to come  study. each group had a sample of 20 male in contact with the child .assessment should  and 20 female children .thus 80 male and identify the strength and weakness of the child`s   80 female children was taken from the,abilities and will help in early intervention for      key in fonnant ,and they were told that developmental problems.  data would be kept confidential and no  invasive Procedures would  be done.

Objective  The main objective of the study was to Assess the developmental milestones and health of the toddle

Socio –demographic profile of the parents   The education level of both the parents was generally low. 

Materials and methods : many of the mothers The setting for the study was Dadu Majara  42 (26.3%) and fathers 17 (10.6%) were Colony of Chandigarh U.T,which is a low   illiterate .only 8(5%) mothers 14 (8.8%)  Socio-economic community,besides being  of the fathers were graduates while very a resettled colony.an interview schedule was few parents were post graduates. majority Prepared for recording demographic profile     of the mothers 139 (86.9%) were housewives  of parents;  the finding also show that majority of the Guidelines were prepared for assessment private jobs and 48 (30%) had their own of the fathers i.e.,62 (38.8%)were doing  business.per capital income of family ranged Developmental milestones (DDST),Health  from Rs150-Rs 2500 with a mean of Rs.977 Assessment Proforma for physical examination.   majority 63 (39.4%) of  them were in the From head to toe and proforma for recording of     range  of Rs.501-1000.almost one-fourth Anthropometric measurement validity of the          (25.6 %) had less than Rs.500 as per capital tool was established in consultation with experts  income.From the departments of community medicine,

Physical health Characteristics: paediatricsAnd national institute of nursing   abnormal  physical health characteris-  education .  a descriptive And cross sectional     found durning physical examination were design was applied. Thin appearance in 3 subjects, a sickly   table 1 shows the distribution of present Appearance in one subject, one subject`s   illness within the last 15 days prior to the                                                               Head was found small in size and 3 children  study. fever was the most common illness  Had   brown and brittle hair. Anterior fontanelle    found in 54 (33.75%) subjects. While 52 Was found abnormally open even after the age    (32.5%) subjects were found with enlarged Of 18 months in 25 (15,6%)subjects .one subject  cervical lymph nodes,45 (8.1%) children Who had rickets was found with open coronal        had cough,25 (15.6 %) had loose stools And lambdoidal sutures at the age of 18 months.  And 12 (7.5%) had prickly heat as the One child had pigeon-shaped chest, while 1 had      study was conducted in peak of summer Haemangioma on the chest.genital abnormality      but few of them had running nose ,sorewas dectected in two male children (one had   throat ,chest  congestion ,boils , vomiting hypospadias and another had phimosis).                  Chest congestion, tongue coated etc. Congenital    abnormalities detected were Clubfoot and  agenesis.

Table- 1: distribution of subjects according to illness during 15 days prior to study

          Age in months

 

Type of illness

12-15            15-18           18-21               21-24                 total

f(%)             f (%)           f(%)                f  (%)                 f(%)

n=40            n= 40           n=40                n=40                 n=160

Fever

Enlarged cervical lymph nodes

 

Cough

Loose stool

Prickly

Vomiting

Running nose

Chest Congestion

Sore throat

Boils on skin

Dandruff

Boils on scalp

Boils  on abdomen

Injury

 

Coated tongue

Redness below eye

Boil on eye lid

Enlarged axillary gland

21(52.5)           14(35.0)         8(20.0)                    11(27.5)                  54(33.7)

11(27.5)         11(27.5)           15(37.5)                       15 (37.5)             (52(32.5)

 

18(45.0)          11(27.5)         7 (17.5)                      9(22.5)                  45 (32.5)

12(30.0)            8 (20.0)             1 (02 .5)                    4 (10.0)                 25 (15.6)

5(12.5)            3(7.5)                2(5.0)                        2(5.0)                    12.(7.5)

4(10.0)            1(2.5)                1(2.5)                        2(5.0)                    8 (5.0)

–                          2(5.0)                  1 (2.5)                   4(10.0)                    7 (4.4)

1(2.5)            2(5.0)               2(5.0)                        1(2.5)                     6(3.8)

2 (5.0)                –                     1(2.5)                        2(5.0)                    5.(3.1)

1(2.5)             2(5.0)                 1(2.5)                          –                           4(2.5)

1(2.5)             2(5.0)                  1 (2.5)                        –                            4(2.5)

1(2.5)            1(2.5)                                                                                  2(1.2)

1(2.5)                 –                        1(2.5)                           –                        2(1.2)

–                           –                         1(2.5)                           –                         1(0.6)

 

 

1(2.5)              –                          –                               –                            1(0.6)

1(2.5)             –                           –                         1(2.5)                          2(1.2)

–                           –                         1(2.5)                                                     1(0.6)

 

–                      1(2.5)                   –                              –                            1(0.6)

Nutritional status  Table-2 shows the nutritional status  malnutrition, 33(20.6%) had second-degree Of  the subjects. The results of the study reveal   malnutrition ,6(3.8%) had third –degree That only 64(40%) children had normal   Malnutrition And One Child was severely Nutritional status while rest (60%) was  malnourished  of fourth –degree in the 15-18 Malnourished with varied degrees .it can  months age group .it could be observed that Be further seen that 56 (35%) had first  number of children decreases in the subsequent degree  increased degree of malnutrition.

Table-2 :  Nutrional Status Of Subjects

         Age in months

 

Type of illness

   12-15                   15-18               18-21                     21-24                         total

   f(%)                    f (%)                f(%)                       f  (%)                           f(%)

   n=40                    n= 40               n=40                      n=40                           n=160

Normal

Total malnourished

1stdegree malnutrition

2nddegreemalnutrition

3rd degree malnutrition

4thdegree malnutrition

 

 15.3(37.5)           18 (45.0)         20(50.0)            11(27.5)                   64(40.0)

25 (62.5)            22(55.0)          20(50.0)            29 (72.5)                  96(60.0)

18(45.0)              10(25.0)         15(37.5)             13(32.5)                  56(35.0)

5(12.5)                 10(25.0)         5(12.5)              13(32.5)                  33(20.6)

2(5.0)                   1(2.5)            –                        3(7.5)                     6(3.8)

–                           1(2.5)            –                         –                            1(0.6)

 

Achievement of developmental milestones The achieved developmental milestones  steps by crawling .but 27 children of 15-18,As regards to the gross motor activities in all     36  subjects 18-21,and 39 subjects in 21-24 The four age groups were studied .study   months could throw ball overhead .majority Reveals that skill increased as the age increased.  (39)subjects of 15-18 months and all(40)in In 12-15 months all the children were able to do   18-21 and 21-24 months were able to kick the ball forward .only 13 children aged 18-21 and 20 children   of 21-24 months,28 children were able to balance Activities like walk while holding furniture and stand    on one foot and 27 subjects were able to put on  Momentarily ,but 34 children were able to stand well  shoes without tying laces .most difficult task in Alone 28 children were able to stoop and recover       this age group was pedal tricycle and broad jump, And walk well but 25 children of same age followed     thus only 5 and 4 children were able to demonstrate By 37 children of 15-18 months were able to walk      it.(table-3).backward. whereas 39 children of 12-15,14-18 and 18-21 could walk up

Table-3: Achieved Gross Motor Developmental Milestones of Study Subjects

            Age in months

 

Gross motor milestones

    12-15                       15-18                  18-21                      21-24              

                                                                                       

     n=40                        n= 40                  n=40                      n=40             

Walk holding furniture

Stand momentarily

Stand alone well

Stoop and recover

Walk well

Walk backwards

Walk up steps (crawing )

Throw ball overhead

Kick ball forward

Jump in place

Balance on one foot for I second

Put on shoes

Pedal tricycle

Broad jump

      40                                 –                         –                          – 

40                                –                         –                          – 

34                               –                         –                          – 

28                                –                         –                          – 

28                                –                         –                          –

25                              37                         –                          –                             

39                              39                        39                        –

–                                       27                       36                        39

–                                       39                       40                        40

–                                               –                               13                             20

–                                               –                                  –                              28

–                                               –                                  –                              27

–                                                –                                 –                              5

–                                                –                                  –                              4

(-) not applicable since these activities were not included in the specified age group

   Table – 4 shows the developmental    group of 18-21 months, but none of the children Milestone in fine motor area.all the Children                of          age 21-24 months could make a tower of were able to scribble spontaneously in Age cubes.

Table -4: achieved fine motor developmental milestones of study subjects

   N= 160

            Age in months

 

Fine  motor milestones

    12-15                       15-18                  18-21                      21-     24             

                                                                                      

     n=40                        n= 40                  n=40                      n=40            

Scribbles spontaneously

Tower of 2cubes

Dump raisin after demonstration

Tower of 4 cubes

Imitates vertical line up to 300

Tower of 8 cubes

        38                              39                           40                                 –

23                              35                                –                               –

30                               37                            39                               37

5                              29                                37

–                                        –                                5                                  10

–                                                                         –                                    3

 (-) not applicable since these activities were not included in the specified age groups

Table 5 depicts the developmental months group 7 children could point the body Milestones of language .it was found  parts but 18-21 months 11 subjects could That All 38 subjects aged 12-15 months  do  the same task.all subjects were able to  Followed By 36 subjects aged 18-21 months     follow directions ,whereas use of plurals Were able to say 3 words other than ma da. Seemed a difficult task as only two subjects While in 12-15 aged 21-24 months could do it.

Table-5: Achieved language developmental milestones of study subjects

                  N=160

            Age in months

 

Language Skill

    12-15                   15-18                  18-21                      21-24             

                                                                                      

     n=40                     n= 40                  n=40                      n=40            

 Say 3 words other than ma .da

Points one named body part

Combines two different words

Follows direction 2 out of 3

Name one picture

Uses plurals

     38                                36                            40                                 –

7                                  6                             11                                 –

6                                10                            26                                30

30                              33                             35                                40

–                                      8                              15                                24

–                                      –                                0                                  2

(-) not applicable since these activities were not included in the specified age groups

  Table-6 shows the achieved personal social   to drink from cup. only 4 subjects aged 12-15 Developmental tasks of children .it depicts that             months and  3 subjects 15-18 months and 11 Majority tasks of children under study were   aged 18-21 months were able to remove at least Able to imitate household tasks of  the subjects`  one garment .majority of  children of all age group Aged 12-15 months only 23 subjects `were able        were able  to play interactive games, whereas 38  to use spoon and spill little .majority of subjects  children aged 21-24 months were easily could play ball with examiner,33 subjects were     separated from mother and 38 children of same able to indicate wants and all children of same age      age could wash and dry hands.

Table -6 :   Achieved personal social  developmental milestones of  subjects N=160

            Age in months

 

Personal social Skills

    12-15                   15-18                  18-21                      21-24             

                                                                                      

     n=40                     n= 40                  n=40                      n=40            

 Plays ball with examiner

Indicate wants (not crying )

Drinks from cups

Imitates house hold task

Removes garments

Uses spoon spills little

Helps in house hold tasks

Play in interactive games

Washes and dry hands

Separate from mother easily

         39                             –                             –                                –

33                         –                           –                            –

40                        –                           –                            –

37                       38                        38                          –

4                          3                         11                         –

23                         34                       32                        40

–                                    34                     38                             –

–                                     –                        39                          40

–                                     –                         –                             38

–                                     –                         –                              38

 

(-) not applicable since these activities were not included in the specified age groups

 Discussion :The study was descriptive in nature and  up in their own home, where the The population taken for the study was of a             opportunities to learn motor skills is not Low socioeconomic status .the study revealed   only given but encouraged. majority.The majority of the study subjects were able to  of the children were able to   able to      Achieve the development milestones according  achieve the developmental To Their age. The one who could not achieve    milestone    like walking by holding,  them  Could be because of their low socioeconomic  furniture ,standing momentarily Conditions   , lack of stimulation, motivation from      ,walking well, kicking the ball The parents, family conditions or health status  forward ,scribbling spontaneously,Of toddlers or other contributing factors ,which  following two out of three directionsWere out  of the  purview of the present study.  drinking from cup .the activities This Has also been supported by the Havighurst    all(100%) children could do theory.   This theory attributes the mastery of the   successfully were standing momentarily task as     Achievement of Milestones to be                walking by holding  furniture and dependent upon The opportunity to learn. Lack  kicking the ball forward (in gross of motivation of Dependent upon the opportunity       motor)  ,scribble spontaneously (in to learn .lack Of motivation of institutional children    fine motor); able to say more than who had Little handling by attendants have been      3 words other than ma,ma,da,da  reportedTo be slow in crawing ,sitting and standing     (in language),and all the subjects in as compared To the babies brought children found  21-24 months could follow directions difficult to Achieve were ,broad jump, pedal  tricycle,   well and were able to achieve these jump In place ,tower of 4 cubes ,imitate vertical    milestones at 21-24 months.in line ,tower of 8 cubes ,use  plurls ,name one   personal social activities all (40) were  picture ,Combining two different words and        able to use spoon and play interactive removing garments.One child having rickets   game .the activities which the in present was not able to achieve any Developmental   study ,during the physical health  task as per age Requirements.A comparative  assessment ,children were found to suffer study on two groups Of Negro children motor     from varied degree of malnutrition  development and its Relation to child rearing      ranging from varied degree of practices suggests that Gross motor development malnutrition  in the age group of 15-18 is not a racial character But it is related to the way     months   was suffering from rickets in which the child is Cared for.  The infant from     and also had the Mongolian signs viz lower socio-economic Group shows average gross    slanting eyes and marked problem ,motor acceleration.Significant difference were     like small head,with open coronal and also found in the Way the two groups of children  lambdoidal suture and thin extremities were handled.The result of this study supports       which may have been the consequen- the fininding Of present study where there has  ces of the grade iv malnutrition .past also been Average  motor development.Studie  illnesses reported by most of the from different parts of the country indicate The    parents were related to respiratory superiority of Indian children in attaining motor    illnesses. iiinesses in children   Development task .it was noticed the lighter weight        reported   within 15 days prior to Of Indian children attain earlier developmental   the study were fever (54%) ,enlarged Milestones in comparison their western   cervical lymph nodes (32.5%) ,cough counterparts. They tend to walk earlier than   (28.1%) ,loose stools (15.6%),prickly their counterparts .The finding of the present    heat (7.5%) ,vomiting (5%) ,etc .thus study also show similar results ,though 60 %   the leading cause of morbidity in of the children were found malnourished .    these  children between 1-2 years    a majority of them were able to achieve                    were respiratory infections, skin gross motor development tasks.    Diseases ,gastrointestinal diseases and  malnourishment, which is supported by the study which reported that the big three among the killer  among toddlers were ,malnutrition ,diarrhea and pneumonia .study done a study of physical development of temporary  on the effect of illness on growth delhi children reveals that the infant weight   shows that illness tends to slow   and height depends on the family socio-down the rate of growth while economic condition .the children under study chronic illness might.belonged to low class but their mean weight affect the child’s final heights.ranged from 8.5-9.6 kg.about 60% of children suffered from malnutrition from grade I-IV mean height of children was 72.5-79.4 cm.which is comparable to normal standard.Thus nutrition plays agreater role than the Genetic factor in influencing the growth rate. The results of the present study are Comparable to the Indian standards as Regards physical health and anthropometric Measurements .the reson for it.may be that They are residing in UT of Chandigarh ,which Provides adequate health facilities and also Because of the contribution of the anganwadies.   A study on health appraisal of 1-6 years Children showed that 41.8% were normally Nourished ,39.8% were inlst grade ,16.0%In 2 nd grade and 2.4% had III rd grade of Malnourishment and out of 113 children 14.4% had suffered from one or more illness During the last three months, and pyrexia was The common illness .the health and nutritional Status of children in the present study were found To be same as regards to the weight, malnutrition  and  illness of children  thus ,it was observed that in-spite of their morbidity status and malnutrition the children were comparable and found more advanced  than the standard of ICMR,which could be the consequence of availability of health facilities in and around the community where the was carried .

References

  1.  Bruntland GH.world health day theme 2003.shape the future of life healthy environment    For children .the nursing journal of india april

2003;LXXXIV(4):74.

2.Potter PA,perry AG.basic nursing 3  Ed.philadelphia mosby 1995;446-447.

3.Mundkur N.Strategies for developmental Assessment in infant and toddlers .paediatrics

4.Today august 2000;3(8) : 527-528.Hurlock EB.child development .5th McGraw-hill company 1970;33-36.

  1. William JR,Scott RB.Growth and Development of negro infants motor development And its relationship to child rearing practices in two groups of negro infants.child development 1990;24(21):101-102.
  1. Das VK,Sharma NL.Developmental milestones  in a selective sample of Lucknow Children. indian journal of peadiatrics.1973;40(300):1-7
  1. Rona RJ.Genetic and environmental factorsIn the control of growth in childhood .british Medical bulletin 1981;37(3):265-272.
  1. Agarwal KN,Manwani AH,Kahanduza PC,et.al.Physical growth of india school children Indian pediatrics 1970;37(3): 146-155.
  1. Devi SM,RaoMN,Marar S,etal.Astudy Growth pattern in india childhood Indian journal Of pedliatric.1976;43(336);1-9.

10.Agarwal KN,Manwani AH,Kahanduza PC,et al.Physical Growth of Indian School Children .  Indian pediatric 1970;7(3):146-155.

Karobi Das, Baljit Kaur