Prevalence and Factors Affecting Delayed Development of Early Childhood in the Rangsit Children’s Home

Background: The period from birth to five years is crucial for brain growth, more than at any other time in life. Proper development during this time can significantly impact the child’s foundational quality of life. This is especially true for children in foster care, who often come from backgrounds that put them at risk of developmental delays. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of suspected developmental delays and identify factors associated with these delays in early childhood at Rangsit Children’s Home. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted, focusing on 88 children aged one to five years at Rangsit Children’s Home, along with eight caregivers. The data were collected between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, using the Early Childhood Development Surveillance and Promotion Manual (DSPM) for developmental evaluation and questionnaires for gathering general information and developmental factors, completed by caregivers. Data analysis was done using SPSS Statistics, version 25. Results: Among 88 children, most were male and aged three to five years. A significant number of these children came from broken families, with the majority entering the welfare center at zero to one year of age. The developmental assessment revealed that 56 children (63.6%) were suspected of having developmental delays, predominantly in language understanding and usage. Factors significantly associated with these delays include staying less than a year in the care home between the age of one to three years, weight, and being under the care of caregivers with at least a grade six or vocational certificate education. Conclusion: A notable 63.6% of children in the Rangsit Children’s Home showed suspected developmental delays, with language skills being the most affected area. Key factors associated with these delays include the child’s age, being one to three years, weight, duration of stay of less than one year, and caregiver’s education level. These findings suggest the need to enhance developmental support, particularly in language development during early institutional care.