Integrating an Adapted, Low-Intensity Program to Promote Early Childhood Development in Routine Health Visits in Rural India: A Feasibility Study.
Reshma Shah, Erika Gustafson, Sangappa Dhaded and 6 others
PMID 31842065WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers at a rural Indian clinic found a brief play-and-talk session feasible and useful, and reported more story-telling, singing, and play with babies after receiving it.
Without a control group, this does not prove the session caused the change.
Key findings
01Forty-seven caregivers were consecutively enrolled and 46 returned for follow-up.
02Caregivers reported increases in activities such as telling stories and playing with their child after receiving Sit Down and Play.
03Caregivers valued education about play and talking, and suggested giving the program at multiple visits and to grandparents.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was small (47 caregivers) and not compared with a control group. Parenting outcomes were based on caregiver self-report, not observed child development. Participants were from low-income rural communities and were mostly mothers, so the findings may not apply to other settings or caregivers. Fathers did not show a significant change in reported activities. The study focused on caregivers of children 6 weeks to 6 months of age.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. The article is listed as NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the increased caregiver activities as proof that Sit Down and Play caused better child development. The study had no control group, relied on caregiver self-report, and did not measure child speech, language, or developmental outcomes.