Effect of Developmental Stimulation Program on the Developmental Measures of Toddlers

Background: The variability in the developmental skills is reduced after the first three years of life; therefore, it is necessary to identify and manage early developmental delays. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of developmental stimulation program on the developmental measures of the toddlers. Method: The present randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 31 toddlers aged 1-3 years residing at Ali Asghar Foster Care Center within 2016-2017. Developmental interventions were carried out based on the modified guidelines of West Virginia Early Learning Standards Framework for eight weeks (three 2-hour sessions a week). The interventions included a range of age- and developmental-specific activities described in the given guidelines. Child development age was measured based on motor dimensions (i.e., gross and fine) and language development (i.e., receptive and expressive) before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 11) using independent t-test and Chi-square test. Results: The mean ages of the participants in the control and intervention groups were 19.9±5.5 and 20±6.02, respectively (P=0.62). The mean ages of receptive language development (P=0.003), expressive language development (P<0.001), and gross motor development (P=0.02) were significantly different between the two groups. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the fine motor development (P=0.96). Implications for Practice: The developmental stimulation program was effective in the receptive language, expressive language, and gross motor development. However, it exerted no significant effect on fine motor development.