WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

*Hind Safaa Wadeea, Huda Adnan Habib

ABSTRACT

Background: Understanding of developmental milestones is crucial for early detection of delays and ensuring appropriate interventions in young children. Mothers play a key role in monitoring these milestones. Objective of the study: To evaluate the level of knowledge among mothers in Baghdad regarding developmental, examining factors influencing maternal awareness, assessing knowledge of appropriate ages for stimulation activities. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from March to December 2024 at Baghdad Medical City Hospital. The research utilized a structured questionnaire that included demographic data, sources of information, and the Caregiver Knowledge of Child Development Inventory. A sample of 400 mothers was recruited through convenience sampling, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 29, with chi-square tests used to explore associations. Results: The findings revealed that only (5%) demonstrating "good" knowledge, while (45.8%) and (49.3%) had "fair" and "poor" knowledge, respectively. Awareness was particularly low for gross and fine motor development (6%) with good knowledge. By contrast, knowledge of cognitive and socio-emotional milestones for toddlers was relatively higher (30%) with good knowledge. Significant relationships were identified between maternal education, working status, and number of children, and levels of knowledge (p<0.05). A majority of mothers (61.3%) reported relying on personal experience as their primary information source, with minimal use of healthcare resources. Conclusion: The study showed notable gaps in maternal knowledge regarding child developmental milestones and initiation of stimulating activities.