Knowledge and Awareness Among Mothers Regarding Early Childhood Development: A Study From the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Background and objectiveThere is a dearth of studies on the knowledge and awareness among mothers on childhood development in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Maternal knowledge of childhood development is a critical determinant of children's development and behavior. In light of this, we conducted this study to determine the level of maternal knowledge about childhood development. MethodologyWe employed a cross-sectional study design involving 200 mothers of all ages recruited using stratified random sampling. After obtaining informed consent, the participants were required to complete a questionnaire adapted from the "Ages and Stages" questionnaire, which covered demographics and items on developmental milestones. The questionnaire was validated and checked for reliability by using a focus group. Inferential statistics were used, and the association between the variables was analyzed using the Chi-squared test. ResultsOur findings indicated that the knowledge among mothers regarding child development is relatively low in the UAE. Two-thirds of the respondents were knowledgeable about gross motor skills (62% of the mothers knew the age at which a child could lift his/her head). Less than half of the mothers were well-informed about fine motor skills such as writing and drawing (44% of the mothers were aware of the age at which a child should be able to scribble on paper). The respondents demonstrated a lack of knowledge regarding children's speech and language skills. Regarding social skills, only 8% of the mothers were aware of the correct age at which a child should start to dress by himself/herself. ConclusionAlthough mothers in the UAE were knowledgeable about certain aspects of childhood development such as gross motor development, they were less knowledgeable regarding other aspects such as social and language skills. The gaps identified in our study highlight the need to implement effective health education programs so that mothers are better informed to help improve child development outcomes in the community.

Pengaruh Permainan Lego terhadap Perkembangan Motorik Halus pada Anak Usia 3-6 Tahun

“…Stimulasi terhadap perkembangan motorik halus anak usia dini seharusnya dilakukan oleh orang tua anak. Selain orang tua, stimulasi perkembangan motorik halus dapat juga dilakukan oleh guru mereka ketika anak usia dini berada di sekolah mereka (Saleh et al, 2023). Perkembangan motorik halus dapat diasah atau distimulasi dengan menggunakan perpaduan gerakan tangan yang meliputi ketangkasan, manipulasi Kemampuan motorik halus yang dimiliki individu dapat dilihat dari kemampuan menyelesaikan tugas-tugas dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, seperti mengunting, menulis, mengenggam benda, mengosok gigi, mengunakan baju, membereskan mainan, mengetik, melipat, memegang alat makan (Johnstone et al, 2022).…”

Pediatric Nursing in Primary Care: Strategies for Holistic Child and Family Support Article Sidebar DOI: https://doi.org/10.53555/sfs.v10i5.2305 Keywords: Cultural Competence Developmental Considerations Emotional Support Family-Centered Care Health Promotion Main Article Content Norah Ahmed AL Saif

“…Pediatric nurses play a role in monitoring. Assisting a child's development (12). Identifying delays is crucial as it allows for timely interventions that can greatly influence a child's progress (13,14).…”