Emotional and behavioral outcomes among adolescents with mild developmental deficits in early childhood

Disparities in Familiarity With Developmental Disabilities Among Low-Income Parents

OBJECTIVE

Parent knowledge about developmental disabilities (DDs) may facilitate access to DD care; however, parents may vary in their knowledge and familiarity with common DDs. This study aimed to assess racial/ethnic and language differences in low-income families' familiarity, knowledge, and personal experience with DDs.

METHODS

We conducted a child development survey among 539 low-income parents of young children attending visits at the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in 6 Oregon counties in 2015. Survey items assessed parent familiarity with early signs of DDs, self-reported knowledge about DDs, and personal experience with a friend or family member with a DD. Bivariable and multivariable analyses assessed differences in outcomes among non-Latino white (white), Latino English-proficient (Latino-EP), Latino limited-English-proficient (Latino-LEP), and non-Latino other race English-proficient (other race) parents.

RESULTS

Overall, parent participants correctly identified 64.7% of early signs of DDs. White parents correctly identified the most early signs, even after adjustment for sociodemographic factors. Compared with white parents, Latino-LEP, Latino-EP, and other race parents were less likely to have heard of prevalent DDs, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism, and less likely to have a friend or family member with a DD.

CONCLUSIONS

Low-income Latino-LEP and other race parents have less familiarity or personal experience with DDs and are less aware of early signs of DDs compared to low-income white parents. Study findings suggest that interventions to reduce disparities in DD diagnosis and treatment should include increasing information transfer to parents in racial/ethnic and language minority communities.

Assessment of Motor Milestones in Twins

The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of obtaining through mailed surveys maternal reports of specific major motor milestones achievement. To accomplish this aim we compared and contrasted mailed survey data and telephone interview data on a series of questions about age at which motor milestones were achieved. We used monthly telephone interviews with mothers of 238 twin pairs, beginning at age 6 months, which ascertained the age at which each specific milestone was met. The contrasting ‘through the mail’ survey was sent after the second birthday of an independent group of children, and included 463 twin pairs. All twins were born between March 2003 and March 2004. Comparisons were made for the following 5 milestones: sitting without support, hands and knees crawling, turning from back to belly, standing without support, and walking without support. There was no difference between the concurrent telephone interviews and the retrospective through the mail survey on any of the landmarks, except ‘standing without support’. From this work we conclude that data on achieving milestones can be reliably obtained through the mail using retrospective surveys when the children are 2 years of age.