Validation of a screening tool for developmental problems in children 60-71 months in Mexico.

Abstract

Background: Early childhood is a critical period for child development. The Child Development Evaluation Test (EDI in Spanish), developed and validated in Mexico, is a screening tool for developmental problems in children from 1 month to 4 years and 11 months.

Objective: To validate group 15 of the EDI test for children aged 60-71 months, comparing sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) using the Battelle Developmental Inventory 2^nd edition (BDI-2) in Spanish as the gold standard.

Methods: A cross-sectional analytic study with 46 children aged 60-71 months was conducted at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Children were evaluated using group 15 of the EDI test and BDI-2. The sample was non-probabilistic by convenience. Diagnostic metrics and comparisons were performed globally and in the developmental domain.

Results: The sensitivity and specificity of group 15 for the EDI test were 93.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 81.8%-100%) and 73.3% (95%CI: 57.5%-89.1%), respectively. The PPV was 65.2%, and the NPV 95.5%. The highest percentage of false negatives was in the cognitive domain, followed by the adaptive domain.

Conclusion: In this first study, group 15 of the EDI test shows high sensitivity and NPV, allowing early detection in an age group previously not covered, thus facilitating interventions in this group.