PC3046: Trends in Developmental Delays During a Natural Disaster and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a decrease to pediatrician’s office for both preventive and sick visits. Furthermore, in January 2020, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, devastated the southern part of Puerto Rico (PR), leading to a partial suspension of pediatrician's office. It is this concern for the loss of surveillance, screening and follow up amid natural disasters and pandemic and the lack of current statistic in PR, that there is a need to evaluate the prevalence of developmental delays (PDD) in this population.

Methods: After IRB approval, a retrospective chart review of all the patients admitted to the regular pediatric unit, during January 2017- December 2021 was performed. Inclusion criteria included, patients ages 1-60 month, and who had the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 (ASQ-3) Spanish performed. Patients with previously diagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions were excluded. Final N: 1,082 patients, for which results of ASQ-3 were documented.

Results: Of the patients evaluated 56% were male and 44% females. The mean age of evaluation was 21.4 month. A steadily increase yearly PDD was noted in all ASQ-3 Spanish domains with marked difference in the years 2020 and 2021. Statistical significance for each domain between the years was calculated showing statistical significant p values for the communication, fine motor and personal-social domain.

Conclusion: Our study shows steadily increasing prevalence of delay in at all areas of development in 2020-2021. The growing trend is statically significant when compared with previous years, which may be explained by the loss of follow up during this period. To our knowledge, our study is the only one studying some of the long-term effects that isolation and quarantine have in the normal development of children in PR, as well as highlighting the role of inpatient screening in the events of disasters.