Early Neurodevelopmental Intervention: A Hospital-Based Observational Study

Introduction: Early intervention programs for developmental disabilities are often not available in India due to non-availability of resources. The objective of this prospective observational study was to measure the efficacy of an early intervention program for neurodevelopmental disabilities in a mid-sized hospital. Methods: The study enrolled infants and toddlers aged 1-30 months who were at risk for, suspected to have or diagnosed with developmental delay. Infants and toddlers with medical instability and profound developmental delay at first assessment were excluded. The patients were tested using Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants (DASII) at first visit after which individualized intervention plans based on modules devised by National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) were instituted. Reassessment using DASII was performed during subsequent visits. Results: Twenty infants and toddlers were enrolled from 2017-2019. Improvement or stable status was noted in 18/28 patients in both mental and motor domains. Of the remaining 10, no improvement or regression was noted in (a) both mental and motor domains in three patients (b) mental domain only in five patients and (c) motor domain alone in two patients. Discussion: Early remedial intervention using indigenous instruments/tools is feasible, pragmatic, and effective in a resource-constrained setting.