Characteristics of Child Development in Okinawa; The Comparisons with Tokyo and Denver and the Implications for the Developmental, Screening.

Abstract

Developmental differences in the Denver Developmental Screening Test items were demonstrated between the 615 Okinawa( Miyako and Yaeyama Islands) chi 1 dren and the 1171 Tokyo children. The children in Tokyo were generally advanced than those in Okinawa after one year of age, while the children in Okinawa demonstrated earlier development in the middle and late periods of the first year. There were also interesting differences between Okinawa and Denver. Okinawa children were initially slow in gross motor development. Denver children were markedly advanced in some of the language items. Ecological and socio-cultural factors which may contribute to these differences as well as the implications of these results for the developmental screening were discussed.