Saudi Adult's Knowledge of Pediatric Developmental Milestones.

BACKGROUND

Early recognition of developmental milestones is vital for timely detection of delays. While studies in Saudi Arabia have assessed parental awareness, little is known about the general adult population's knowledge.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the awareness and knowledge of developmental milestones among adults in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November 2024 using an online questionnaire in Arabic and English. The survey assessed knowledge across five devel-opmental domains. A total of 924 adults aged 18-65 years participated. Knowledge scores were categorized into high, moderate, and low levels. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 29, and associations with sociodemographic variables were tested.

RESULTS

Overall, 31% of participants demonstrated high knowledge, 44.8% moderate, and 24.2% low. Awareness was stronger for gross motor skills in older children but weaker for infant and early speech/language milestones. Only 43.3% recognized the expected vocabulary at 24 months, and many expressed uncertainty about early infancy mile-stones. Knowledge was significantly associated with gender, age, marital status, educa-tion, occupation, and income (p < 0.05). Informal sources, particularly family and friends, were the most common source of information, while healthcare professionals and formal resources were less utilized.

CONCLUSION

Substantial gaps in developmental milestone knowledge exist among Saudi adults, especially regarding infant and speech/language development. Targeted public health education and greater involve-ment of healthcare providers are needed to strengthen awareness and support early in-tervention.