Child development Centre as a Centre of Excellence has got a well established research unit. The centre appreciate the importance of research in this changing arena of health care and adopts a life cycle approach in research.

CDC’s research and development involve mainly in the field of disability and its management with particular reference to preschool children, adolescent care and women and youth welfare. The Centre also conducts community extension programs such as school health programs, medical camps and undertake various training programs for health and ICDS functionaries in the State. According to University Order No..11668/2019/ACI/GEN A2/KUHS Dtd 16.11.2019, CDC has been recognized as Centre of Research under Kerala University of Health Sciences.

  • Ongoing research projects
  • Completed research projects
  • Publications
  • Community extension activities

 

Ongoing research projects

  1. Prevalence of Neurodevelopmental Disorders among Siblings of Children Diagnosed as Autism Spectrum Disorders. Project status: Data collection ongoing
  2. Growth, development and psychosocial outcome of children during childhood years (0-3 years) born after Assisted Reproductive Technology as compared to naturally conceived children. Project status: Data collection ongoing
  3. Adiposity gain, and early adiposity rebound in low-birth-weight children and its association with cardio metabolic risk, cardiac structure, and cardiac function in children at 2-years in Kerala: A birth cohort analysis. Project status: Data collection ongoing
  4. Developmental and behavioral outcome of late preterm babies on CDC model intervention as compared to those without intervention and normal term babies. Project Status: data collection completed, analysis ongoing
  5. Early adiposity rebound and incidence of cardiovascular risk factors in a cohort of Low Birth Weight children. Project status: Data collection ongoing
  6. Knowledge, attitude and practices associated with total communication methods among Speech and Language Pathologists working with Complex Communication Needs children. Project status: Data collection completed. Data analysis and report writing to be done.
  7. A qualitative exploration into perceptions regarding total communication practices among parents of children with complex communication needs. Project status: Data collection to be started
  8. Impact of CSF flow-cytometry in Paediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) patients: A prospective cohort study. Project Status: Data collection ongoing.
  9. Comprehensive developmental Assessment and Management of Newborn Intensive Care Unit Graduates at Preschool Age (3-6 years). Project Status: Data collection ongoing.
  10. Effectiveness of an Intervention package on pre-Academic Readiness in children Aged (3-5 years). Project Status: Data collection ongoing
  11. Effectiveness of a structured intervention for Behavioral problems of preschool children aged 3-6 years. Project Status: Data collection ongoing.
  12. Effectiveness of an Intervention Package among Preschool Children [3-5years] in managing early signs of ADHD. Project Status: Data collection ongoing.
  13. Effectiveness of a parent-mediated early intervention module to promote speech intelligibility development in preschool children. Project Status: Data collection ongoing
  14. Effectiveness of an Intervention Package for improving Social adaptability among Preschool children (3 to 6 years). Project Status: Ongoing
  15. Comprehensive Assessment of Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Attending a Speciality Clinic in a Tertiary Care Hospital. Project status: Data collection ongoing.
  16. Effectiveness of an intervention package for Managing persisting temperamental issues in Children aged 6-12 years. Project status: Data collection ongoing
  17. Prevalence of sleep issues and effectiveness of sleep hygiene practices among children with autism spectrum disorder (2- 6 years) Attending child development centre. Project status: Data collection ongoing.
  18. Effectiveness of an Intervention Package on Behavioural Modification in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (6-12years). Project status: Data collection ongoing.

 

 

CDC ICMR Funded Projects

 Early-life nutrition in the first thousand days of life and its association with early adiposity rebound, cardio metabolic risk and cardiac function in Low Birth Weight Children at 2 years in Kerala (ICMR funded project in association with SCTIMST). 

Inadequate nutrition during early life could lead to adiposity gain and early adiposity rebound. Early adiposity is associated with fat deposition during mid-childhood           and could affect the cardiac structure and function at midlife. It could ultimately predispose an individual to early-onset cardiometabolic diseases. Limited Indian                   studies assess the impact of early feeding practices on adiposity gain and the consequences of early adiposity rebound. Low birth weight (LBW) poses a burden in                  Kerala with a prevalence of 13.3% (NFHS 5). Early identification and stratification of baseline risk and the mediators of that risk in the first thousand days will help us          elucidate opportunities beyond birth to slow the progression of cardiometabolic risk in LBW children. We propose a detailed follow-up of this birth cohort at 2-years            to   assess the impact of early feeding practices on adiposity gain and the association between adiposity measures and the cardiometabolic health of LBW children                  during the two-years of life. In this background an ICMR funded project is conducted at CDC with SCTIMST with the following objectives.

  • To assess the association between adiposity measures and cardiometabolic risk based on traditional measures (Lipid profile and blood pressure) in LBW children at two years of age.
  • To assess the association between adiposity pattern at two-year in the LBW cohort and cardiac structure, and cardiac function as measured using Echocardiography.
  • To study the differential DNA methylation pattern at CpG sites of selected genes based on adiposity measures and associated cardio metabolic risk.

       Completed data collection of 810 children. 150 echocardiography completed so far.

 

Development and Validation of a Tool for Assessing Grief among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The  project titled “Development and Validation of a Tool for Assessing Grief among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.” The project focuses on                developing a culturally appropriate assessment tool and examining the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of grief among Indian parents, with outcomes supporting            counseling interventions and policy recommendations.

 

CDC- UNICEF Project 

As part of the UNICEF initiative of ‘Creating Awareness and Strengthening Systems for Screening, Surveillance and Management of Developmental delays or disorders in Kerala’ done in collaboration with NHM, CDC has been approved as a “Centre of Excellence in NDDs”. As part of the CDC- INICEF project various research and training programmes have been envisaged.

 

Major training programmes– 2026

Capacity Building of DEIC Staff for Early Identification and Management of Developmental Delays and Neurodevelopmental Disorders was done in collaboration with NHM and UNICEF. Cadre-specific trainings covering pediatricians, nurses, therapists, educators, psychologists, and optometrists were delivered using child-centered approach. The initiative strengthened standardized assessment practices, multidisciplinary coordination, and family-centered care, and is expected to improve early intervention quality and functional outcomes for children accessing DEIC services. The training series reached over 187 DEIC professionals across multiple cadres from districts across Kerala through structured, cadre-specific programs conducted at the Child Development Centre (CDC), Thiruvananthapuram.

The Parenting Webinar Series was organized as a collaborative capacity-building initiative by NHM, CDC and UNICEF, aimed at strengthening the knowledge, skills,  and confidence of parents and caregivers of children with special health care needs. The sessions focused on enhancing early identification, improving home-based interventions, strengthening parental engagement, and promoting the overall development and well-being of children with developmental delays, disabilities, and chronic conditions. Approximately 1500 participants attended the program. The series marks an important step toward building an inclusive, family-centered care model in Kerala