ArticleIsrael journal of health policy research2026
Trends in developmental milestone attainment among Israeli children between 2019 and 2024.
Article in Israel journal of health policy research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundMonitoring developmental milestones is essential for identifying at-risk populations and for guiding effective intervention programs. Our previous report examined milestone attainment among Israeli children from 2016 to 2020. Using a similar methodology, this study analyzes trends in developmental milestone attainment in the Israeli population from 2019 to 2024, with primary focus on 2019 to 2023 because of changes in evaluation policy. This follow-up report complements the earlier analysis by providing updated estimates for the post-COVID period and enabling assessment of temporal trends and potential changes in socioeconomic and regional disparities that could not be evaluated previously.
methodsThe dataset included over 1 million children with more than 5 million developmental assessments conducted at Maternal and Child Health Clinics (MCHCs) across Israel. These assessments were used to calculate failure rates across four developmental domains: language, social, gross motor, and fine motor skills, along with parental concern about child development. Data were stratified by maternal characteristics, such as age, education, employment, and marital status, and by family sociodemographic factors, including ethnicity, degree of Haredi observance and socioeconomic status. We applied multivariable logistic regression to estimate associations between sociodemographic factors and the odds of failure to attain milestones, while controlling for confounding.
resultsA mild overall increase in milestone failure rates was observed from 2019 to 2023. Disparities based on maternal characteristics, particularly lower education, divorce status, unemployment, advanced maternal age, and immigration background, widened notably during periods of national disruption (COVID-19 and the war). In contrast, gaps associated with ethnicity and socioeconomic status remained stable or narrowed. Parental concern increased across most groups, particularly among Bedouin parents, suggesting growing awareness.
conclusionsMaternal-level characteristics were strongly associated with elevated developmental risk from 2019 to 2023, and may be particularly sensitive to national crises. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening parental awareness, prioritizing early identification of high-risk families, and maintaining access to developmental services during emergencies. The study's insights can support decision-makers in education, health, welfare, and local authorities in developing evidence-based strategies to promote equity and resilience in early childhood development systems.
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