The Use of the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status and Developmental Milestones in Screening Children for Developmental Delay in India.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) and Developmental Milestones (PEDS:DM) are cost-effective, self-report tools that can be conveniently utilized in low- and middle-income countries to screen for developmental delays in children. This study assessed the diagnostic accuracy of PEDS and PEDS:DM in distinguishing children with typical development (TD) from those with developmental disabilities (DD). It also examined the relationship between parents' general concerns and specific developmental concerns about their children.

METHOD

The study included 407 children with TD and 59 children with DD, recruited from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and the National Capital Region of India. Parents of children aged 4 to 8 years completed the PEDS and PEDS:DM online.

RESULTS

The PEDS demonstrated high sensitivity (91%) but low specificity (47%), whereas the PEDS:DM showed poor sensitivity (17%) and specificity (6%). Parents of TD children who expressed general developmental concerns were likely to report specific concerns related to behavior, self-help skills, health, and cognitive development. Parents of DD children with general concerns reported specific issues with fine motor skills, behavior, school performance, cognitive development, and health.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that while PEDS and PEDS:DM can support early detection of developmental delays, their interpretation should be approached with caution. The study provides preliminary insights into the applicability of these screening tools for children aged 4-8 years in India.