{
  "abstract": "Background Early childhood is a critical period for the development of language, cognition, motor skills, social interaction, and emotion. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF’s Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) outlines five key domains essential for optimal early development: good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning opportunities, and safety/security. This study evaluates developmental risk factors in children with developmental difficulties through the lens of the NCF.Methods A retrospective review was conducted and analyzed on the medical records of children aged 0–8 years diagnosed with developmental difficulties at Ankara University School of Medicine Developmental Pediatrics Department between January 2021 and January 2023.Results A total of 937 children (67.4% male; mean age: 33.3 months) were included. Risk factors identified: (a) Health: 46.3% had chronic illnesses, 36.1% had prior hospitalizations, 7.4% had anemia, and 30.7% of mothers were at risk for depression. (b) Nutrition: 10.7% showed stunting, 13.1% had iron deficiency. (c) Responsive caregiving: 27.4% experienced adequate stimulation; 66.8% were exposed to familial stressors, 58.2% of caregivers lacked social support. (d) Early learning: 50.7% lacked a Special Needs Report-formal documentation for special educational needs, 44% had no access to developmental services. (e) Safety/Security: 7.8% lived in substandard housing, 36.3% of families had incomes below the minimum wage.Conclusions Children with developmental difficulties face intersecting risks across all NCF domains. The findings underscore the urgent need for integrated, family-centered interventions that address both medical and psychosocial determinants of child development.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Developmental Pediatrics Division, Ankara, Turkey"
      ],
      "name": "Ilayda Tas Ozcan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Developmental Pediatrics Division, Ankara, Turkey"
      ],
      "name": "Bahar Bingoler Pekcici"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Developmental Pediatrics Division, Ankara, Turkey"
      ],
      "name": "Burcu Civelek Urey"
    }
  ],
  "title": "196 Evaluation of developmental risk factors in children with developmental difficulties in early childhood within the WHO-nurturing care framework",
  "uid": "8a946a8e-1df8-5a9f-96fe-475c6bb2df6d"
}