Results and Methodological Problems of a Community Survey of Developmental Delay in Rural African Children Under 37 Months of Age

Abstract

We report on the methodology and the results of a community survey looking for neuro-developmental delays in 618 randomly selected children under 37 months. The study was done in a rural area of South Africa, and had two phases. Phase l was an interview study; phase 2 was a follow-up of persons identified in phase 1 as being disabled. Of the 618 children 45 (73 per 1000 population under 37 months and 7 per thousand total population) were reported as having a neuro-developmental delay in one or more of the following areas of investigation: gross - motor, feeding, speech, behaviour. During the second phase 7 children were confirmed with neuro-developmental delays. The crude prevalence rate of confirmed developmental delays was 11 per 1 000 population under 37 months (1 per 1000 total population).