Performance Results in Promoting Early Childhood Development with a Developmental Surveillance and Promotion Manual (DSPM) in Health Area 11

Abstract

      This cross sectional study aimed to examine the situation of early childhood development in the upper southern provinces of Thailand (Health Region 11). Participants in the study were 325 pre-school children and primary caregivers who were randomly selected. Data were collected from October, 2019 to September, 2020 in both Nakhon Si Thammarat and Krabi provinces. Descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage, were used for data analysis.

     Results revealed that: 1) 88.6% of the primary caregivers in the Health Region 11 received the Developmental Surveillance and Promotion Manual (DSPM) from post-partum wards, 2) performance results in promoting childhood development found that normal, suspected developmental delays, and developmental delays were 26.5%, 55.1%, and 18.5%, respectively.

     Health Personnel who are responsible for early childhood development promotion should acknowledge this working process, and identify key success of work. It is also important to understand adult learning, in order to implement the learning process for parents resulting in raising awareness and know-how of using DSPM.