Effect of Targeted Parental Education Intervention to identify Early Childhood Development Disorder – Multisite Interventional Study

Abstract

Background: In India, approximately 3.5 million children face developmental disabilities (DD) due to preterm birth, resulting in neuro-motor immaturity and increased financial burden for families. Maternal unemployment rates are also elevated in such cases. Delayed DD identification, often due to a lack of parental awareness, further compounds these challenges. This study introduces a multiphasic approach to educate antenatal women on monitoring neuro-motor maturity. Methods: Antenatal women will be assigned to intervention or control groups. The intervention group will undergo specialized training in a multiphasic study, while the control group will receive routine care. A meticulously developed intervention module for early detection of neurodevelopmental disorders will empower mothers to monitor their newborns for potential deficits. Discussion: This study will assess the effectiveness of training in evaluating developmental disability and neuro-motor maturity. Home interventions by mothers and true/false positive rates of self-referrals will be systematically evaluated. Findings will enable parents to access medical services through the e-Sanjeevini portal promptly for early problem detection. This study will introduce an innovative, multiphasic approach to address the challenges associated with developmental disabilities in India. By enhancing parental awareness and providing practical tools for early detection, the study aims to reduce the burden on families and improve long-term outcomes for children with DD. Trial registration: Trail has submitted for registration under Clinical Trails Registry - India (REF/2024/01/078593) and is under review.