Developmental delay and poverty in the strabismus clinic

Background: Strabismus and poverty are more common among developmentally de layed children. Poverty is difficult to define, but qualification for Medic aid benefits has been used as an indicator in the past. Methods: There was a retrospective review of 95 patients with strabismus younger than 7 years who were seen in the Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Albany Me dical Center for a 12-month period and were reviewed for the presence or ab sence of developmental delay. These patients were selected from 2 groups: o ne with Medicaid coverage and one without. Results: Developmental delays we re noted in 13 patients without Medicaid (27.0%) and in 26 patients with Me dicaid (55.3%) (P=.0046). Patients with Medicaid were less likely to name A lien pictures by age 3 years (P=.0003). Conclusions: Poverty is more common ly associated with de lays in patients with strabismus, and this should ale rt ophthalmologists who work with Medicaid patients to seek to identify the presence of developmental delay in managing the care of these patients.