EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SCREENING USING KPSP IN COMMUNITY MIDWIFERY CARE

Abstract

Background: Early childhood development screening is essential for identifying developmental delays during the critical period of child growth. Community midwives play an important role in providing developmental surveillance and family-centered education using the Indonesian Pre-Screening Developmental Questionnaire (KPSP). Objectives: This study aimed to describe the implementation of community midwifery care for early childhood development screening using the KPSP and to evaluate the outcomes of family-based developmental stimulation. Methods: A descriptive case study was conducted involving a 34-month-old child in Bangun Rejo Village, Deli Serdang Regency, Indonesia. Data were collected through interviews, direct observation, physical examination, KPSP assessment, documentation review, and home visits. Interventions included developmental screening, parental education, language stimulation, educational play activities, and follow-up evaluation. Results: Initial KPSP assessment indicated a doubtful developmental status (score = 8), primarily in the language domain. Following two weeks of family-based language stimulation and continuous parental education, the child demonstrated improved communication skills, including the ability to produce simple sentences, respond to verbal instructions, and engage in more active social interaction. Increased family participation supported the child's developmental progress. Conclusions: Community midwifery care using the KPSP effectively facilitated the early identification of developmental concerns and strengthened parental involvement in developmental stimulation. Integrating routine developmental screening with family-centered interventions may contribute to optimizing child development and preventing long-term developmental delays.