Tracking Love, Marking Milestones: The Hidden Struggle of Caregiver Mental Health

Caregivers play a critical role in monitoring and tracking their child's developmental milestones, often seeking reassurance that their child is progressing appropriately for their age. However, the process of developmental tracking can present emotional challenges and contribute to caregiver stress and anxiety. This doctoral experiential project aims to assess the accuracy with which caregivers track developmental milestones and explore the mental health implications of this process. The primary objective is to identify gaps in caregiver knowledge and recognize the challenges they face in understanding and monitoring child development. A secondary goal is to promote awareness of the importance of caregiver mental health within early childhood development and advocate for supportive interventions and policies. Additionally, the project evaluates the effectiveness of targeted educational resources in improving caregiver knowledge, tracking practices, and emotional well-being. Through a survey and the development of a caregiver friendly website, this project offers tools such as milestone tip sheets, coping strategies, appropriate play activities, and self-care practices. Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) play a pivotal role by leveraging their expertise in developmental assessments and addressing social determinants of health to support families. Given the limited research on caregiver experiences and the mental health impact of developmental tracking (World Health Organization, 2019), this project fills a critical gap by providing practical, accessible resources and highlighting the need for more caregiver-centered approaches in early intervention.