The role of well-child visits in detecting developmental delay in preschool children.
Developmental delay
Parents` hesitancy against early interventions
Pre-school children
Primary care physicians
Well-child visits
Journal
BMC pediatrics
ISSN: 1471-2431
Titre abrégé: BMC Pediatr
Pays: England
ID NLM: 100967804
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
18 04 2023
18 04 2023
Historique:
received:
28
12
2022
accepted:
11
04
2023
medline:
20
4
2023
pubmed:
19
4
2023
entrez:
18
04
2023
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Early detection of developmental delay (DD) in preschool children is crucial for counselling parents, initiating diagnostic work-up, and starting early intervention (EI). We conducted a register study of all preschool children referred for EI in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, in 2017 (N = 1,785) and used an online survey among primary care physicians (PCPs, N = 271) to evaluate the care service of DD children. PCPs accounted for 79.5% of all referrals by physicians and had correctly referred over 90% of the children in need of EI at an average age of 39.3 months (SD 8.9). In the survey, which represents 59.2% of all pediatricians and 11.3% of all general practitioners in the Canton, PCPs reported performing a mean of 13.5 (range 0-50, SD 10.7) well-child visits per week to preschool children and estimated well-child visits to be the most frequent type of consultation (66.7%) for the identification of DD. Parents' hesitancy in accepting further evaluation or support were reported by 88.7%. Most preschool children with DD are identified in well-child visits. These visits represent an ideal opportunity for early detection of developmental impairment and initiation of EI. Carefully addressing parents' reservations could reduce the rate of refusal, thus improving early support for children with DD.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Early detection of developmental delay (DD) in preschool children is crucial for counselling parents, initiating diagnostic work-up, and starting early intervention (EI).
METHODS
We conducted a register study of all preschool children referred for EI in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, in 2017 (N = 1,785) and used an online survey among primary care physicians (PCPs, N = 271) to evaluate the care service of DD children.
RESULTS
PCPs accounted for 79.5% of all referrals by physicians and had correctly referred over 90% of the children in need of EI at an average age of 39.3 months (SD 8.9). In the survey, which represents 59.2% of all pediatricians and 11.3% of all general practitioners in the Canton, PCPs reported performing a mean of 13.5 (range 0-50, SD 10.7) well-child visits per week to preschool children and estimated well-child visits to be the most frequent type of consultation (66.7%) for the identification of DD. Parents' hesitancy in accepting further evaluation or support were reported by 88.7%.
CONCLUSIONS
Most preschool children with DD are identified in well-child visits. These visits represent an ideal opportunity for early detection of developmental impairment and initiation of EI. Carefully addressing parents' reservations could reduce the rate of refusal, thus improving early support for children with DD.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37072747
doi: 10.1186/s12887-023-04005-1
pii: 10.1186/s12887-023-04005-1
pmc: PMC10111735
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
180Informations de copyright
© 2023. The Author(s).
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