Risk factors of developmental delay in children from the age group of 6 months to 6 years

Background: Infants at risk for developmental delay (DD) have a history of one or more risk factors that occurred during pregnancy, the perinatal period, or after birth. Despite numerous studies on high-risk pregnancies and child development in advanced countries, there is scanty data from developing nations like India. Objectives: To determine the antenatal, natal and postnatal risk factors of DD in children aged 6 months to 6 years.  Method: A case-control study comprising 61 infants with DD and 61 controls was carried out at Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital, Sawangi (Meghe) in Maharashtra from December 2019 to May 2020. Children with DD were taken as cases and children without DD as controls. A questionnaire delivered to mothers was used to gather data. Data analysis was carried out using STATA, version 10 software. Results: Common risk factors were caesarean sections (55%), infections (58%), and chronic disorders during pregnancy (49%). Maternal infections, chronic diseases during pregnancy, caesarean section, failure to cry after birth and absence of breastfeeding were significantly more in cases compared to controls.  Conclusions: In this case-control study, maternal infections, chronic diseases during pregnancy, caesarean section, failure to cry after birth and absence of breastfeeding were risk factors of DD in children aged 6 months to 6 years.