Impact of a Brief Healthcare-based Intervention to Support Early Childhood Development in India: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective To study the impact of a brief early childhood development (ECD) intervention, Sit Down and Play (SDP), integrated within routine healthcare visits on parent and child outcomes. Methods Between April, 2018 and March, 2019, caregivers and their infants aged 5–6 months attending a well-baby clinic were enrolled and randomized to intervention ( n =26) or control ( n =26) groups. Intervention families received SDP at recruitment and two subsequent immunization visits (8 months and 10 months). Control families received usual care. ECD outcomes were assessed through in-person assessments at the age of 12 months using the Stim Q subscales to assess parenting behaviors, and the Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants (DASII) for neurodevelopment. Results There was a significant improvement in parent-child stimulation activities and verbal interactions in the intervention group compared with the control group [6.1(1.4) vs 4.9 (1.3); P =0.002]. Infants in the intervention group had significantly higher DASII scores in multivariable analyses [108.0 (103.0–111.3) vs 102.0 (96.8–108.0); P =0.04]. Conclusion Our findings suggest a brief healthcare intervention supports opportunities for early learning among caregivers and neurodevelopmental outcomes in their infants.