Knowledge Related to Childhood Developmental Milestones Among Mothers in Mirpurkhas
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Background: Maternal knowledge of developmental milestones supports age-appropriate stimulation, early recognition of developmental concerns, and timely referral; however, evidence from Mirpurkhas is limited. Objective: To assess knowledge of childhood developmental milestones among mothers in Mirpurkhas and examine its association with maternal sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: This facility-based cross-sectional study included 200 mothers of children aged up to two years recruited through convenience sampling from private and government healthcare centres. Knowledge was assessed using the 20-item Caregiver Knowledge of Child Development Inventory. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were applied using IBM SPSS Statistics version 29.0. Results: Poor, average, and good knowledge were observed in 92 (46.0%), 44 (22.0%), and 64 (32.0%) mothers, respectively. Independent walking was the most frequently recognized milestone (82.0%), whereas introducing colourful objects to encourage reaching was least frequently identified (8.5%). Educational attainment was significantly associated with knowledge level (χ²(8) = 102.848, p < 0.001; Cramér’s V = 0.507), as was number of children (χ²(2) = 63.457, p < 0.001; Cramér’s V = 0.563). Maternal age and employment status were not significantly associated with knowledge. Conclusion: Considerable gaps were observed, particularly for early developmental stimulation. Developmental counselling should be incorporated into routine maternal and child-health services
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