Neurodevelopmental disorders in early childhood remain one of the leading medical and social problems worldwide. Delayed psychomotor and neuropsychological maturation significantly affects cognitive abilities, speech formation, adaptive behavior, and social integration of children. Environmental factors, adverse perinatal conditions, and chronic ecological stress may contribute to disturbances in child development, especially in ecologically unfavorable territories such as the Aral Sea region.
The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of developmental screening methods for the early identification of neurodevelopmental disorders among preschool children living in the Aral Sea region.
Materials and methods. The study included 720 children aged 1–6 years who underwent routine preventive examinations in outpatient clinics and preschool institutions of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Neuropsychological development was evaluated using the Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DENVER-II). Four developmental domains were analyzed: gross motor skills, fine motor coordination, speech and language development, and personal-social adaptation.
Results. Normal neurodevelopment was identified in 86.8% of examined children, whereas developmental delay was detected in 13.2% of cases. The highest prevalence of delayed neuropsychological development was observed among children aged 3 and 6 years. Impaired development was associated with reduced speech abilities, delayed motor coordination, cognitive dysfunction, and impaired adaptive behavior. Follow-up examination after corrective recommendations demonstrated partial improvement in children with questionable developmental status.
Conclusion. Early developmental screening is an effective approach for identifying neurodevelopmental abnormalities in preschool children. Comprehensive evaluation of psychomotor development allows timely rehabilitation and preventive interventions, particularly in children exposed to unfavorable ecological and perinatal factors.