FK UMI Makassar Lecturer Performs Community Service for Early Detection of Child Growth and Development in Paddinging Takalar Village

FK UMI is again implementing a Community Service program, this time in Paddinging Village, Sanrobone District, Takalar Regency. This activity aims to monitor and provide education regarding the development of toddlers through the Pre-Developmental Screening Questionnaire (KPSP).

Paddinging Village has four posyandu and 24 cadres. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decrease in the number of visits by toddlers to posyandu. Data from the early growth and development stimulation and detection intervention activities (SDIDTK) of the UPT Sanrobone Community Health Center shows that there are five toddlers who experience growth disorders, so assistance from parents is very important.

This program is part of a community service effort by Lecturers at the Faculty of Medicine, Indonesian Muslim University, with the aim of detecting the development of children who may need more attention. It is hoped that through this activity, the community, especially parents, can better understand the importance of monitoring children's growth and development, which in turn contributes to improving the quality of health in the village.

The growth and development of children begins in the womb and occurs simultaneously, interconnected. Various factors, both internal and external, can influence a child's growth and development. One important external factor is education, especially for parents in detecting problems with children's growth and development. This ability can be improved through health education programs. Early detection of disorders of children's growth and development is very crucial, and the Pre-Developmental Screening Questionnaire (KPSP) is a simple and easy tool for the community to use to monitor children's growth and development.