Comprehensive Developmental Characteristics of Children Under 5 Years of Age Admitted to Children’s Hospital 1

Abstract

Background: Early childhood, particularly the first five years of life, is a critical period for global development. Early identification of developmental abnormalities enables timely intervention, yet developmental screening has not been routinely implemented in pediatric practice in Viet Nam. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of global developmental abnormalities among hospitalized children under five years of age. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 1281 hospitalized children aged 2 months to 5 years. Global development was assessed using the standardized Developmental Screening Checklist issued by the Ministry of Health in 2023. Results: Common heath problems included nutritional anemia (15.9%) and dental caries (9.1%). Inadequate physical development was observed in 41.2% of children, including acute malnutrition (26.6%), stunting (21.8%), and overweight - obesity (14.3%). Overall, 14,04% of children did not achieve age – appropriate psychomotor milestones, mainly in language (4.2%) and fine motor domains (4.0%). Psychological consultation was indicated in 7.1% of cases. Conclusions: Integrating standardized global developmental assessment into routine inpatient pediatric care is feasible and necessary, facilitating early detection of developmental disorders in children under five years of age.