Ambulatory Outcome in Children with Developmental Delay

Objective: To identify early predictors of walking in children with motor developmental delay. Setting: Child development unit, pediatric department, Salmaniya Medical Complex. Design: Retrospective study. Method: Patients seen from January 2006 to June 2006 were included in the study and their characteristics were reviewed. We used 10-criteria practical motor assessment scheme to chart the acquisition, from the prone position to walking, according to a standardized procedure. Data were collected using case notes and through direct assessment. Result: Seventy-two patients fitting our inclusion criteria presented over the study period, 37 were boys and 35 were girls. We found that ambulatory status was related to the rate of acquisition of the motor skills. Thirty-seven (51%) of the 72 children managed to walk, 17 (23%) independently and 20 (28%) with assistance; 35 (49%) did not manage to walk. All of the independent walkers were able to roll over by 18 months and sit by 24 months of age. Ambulatory status was related to early acquisition of specific motor and to developmental quotient: None of the patients who walked independently had cognitive developmental delay. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that the ability to achieve walking can be predicted before the age of two years from two motor variables only: rolling over and sitting. It also showed that there is positive correlation between the ability to achieve walking and the cognitive development.