Groups of children at high risk of developmental delays identified

A study conducted by the Aga Khan University (AKU) has found that one in four children, aged three to eight, attending public schools in Karachi are at high risk of developmental delays. The developmental delays mean a child has not achieved expected age-related skills in one or more areas, such as movement, speech, thinking or social skills. The study also finds that children from low-income families and ethnic minority backgrounds are especially vulnerable to developmental delays. Using an Urdu translation of the Early Years Development Instrument (EDI), the study assesses the developmental health and vulnerability of 9,372 kindergarten-aged children in 397 government-run schools. They were measured in each of five developmental domains — social and emotional, physical, language, cognition, and communication skills. The findings underscore the need for universal and targeted programmes and policies to reduce childhood vulnerability in Pakistan. This includes supporting at-risk subgroups of children and promoting equity from an early stage in life. “An individual’s early years are their most sensitive period, where the most rapid growth and development occurs,” says Dr Seema Lasi, Assistant Professor at the AKU and co-author of the research.