Incidence and Associated Factors of Suspected Developmental Delay in Preschool Childhood: A Retrospective Study at Child Development Clinic, Chaophrayayommarat Hospital, Suphan Buri

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the incidence of suspected developmental delay and additionally identify factors associated with suspected developmental delay among preschool children attending the Child Development Clinic at Chaophrayayommarat Hospital, Suphan Buri, Thailand.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted among children aged 0–6 years who were newly registered at the Child Development Clinic.

Results: A total of 210 children were included in the study. Among them, 163 children were suspected of having developmental delay (77.6%). Univariate analysis revealed that several factors were significantly associated with developmental delay, including maternal age ≥35 years at pregnancy, preterm birth (gestational age <37 weeks), low birth weight (<2,500 grams), 5-minute Apgar score of <8 and 10-minute Apgar score of <9, and daily screen time exceeding 2 hours. Children who used screen media for more than 2 hours per day had a 2.17-fold higher risk of developmental delay compared with those with less screen exposure. In contrast, storytelling activities with children was associated with a lower risk of language developmental delay, suggesting a protective effect. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that screen time exceeding 2 hours per day remained significantly associated with language developmental delay, while other factors including maternal age, gestational age, birth weight, Apgar scores, and storytelling activities were not significantly associated after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusion: The study identified several maternal and perinatal factors significantly associated with developmental delay, including advanced maternal age (>35 years), preterm birth (<37 weeks), low birth weight (<2,500 grams), and low Apgar scores at 5 and 10 minutes (<8 and <9, respectively). These factors may increase vulnerability to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Therefore, early developmental surveillance is particularly important for children born preterm or with low birth weight. Promoting developmentally supportive practices, including shared reading, interactive parent–child activities, and appropriate screen-time limits, may further support age-appropriate development and reduce the risk of developmental delay.