Abstract
KhunLook mobile application (KhunLook app) is a mHealth tool that empowers caregivers
to actively monitor, assess, track, and promote child growth and developmental stimulation
directly at home. Furthermore, it functions as an effective communication medium for
engaging and consulting with healthcare professionals. Since 2013, the research team had
developed a web and mobile versions of KhunLook app tailored for parents and caregivers.
The platform promotes age-appropriate child health and development while mitigating the
risk of developmental delays. It facilitates health assessment and recording, providing
guidance aligned with the Royal College of Pediatricians of Thailand and the Ministry of Public
Health, covering prenatal care through to age 18 years. Studies demonstrate that KhunLook
application is highly accepted for both its content and user-friendliness, yielding a Social
Return on Investment (SROI) of 8.9-11.6, with over 550,000 downloads. KhunLook Platform
allows for analysis of health data, it averages approximately 11,000 monthly users, with
scalable technology capable of supporting a massive user base. Consequently, the KhunLook
application serves as an ideal platform for further expansion in child development modules.
Objectives
We aim to enhance the child development feature of KhunLook app, develop a prototype
for integraiton of KhunLook app usage into health care facilities, and evaluate its effectiveness.
Methods : This study was carried out during September 2024-May 2026
Results : Literature review showed that factors that influence underutilization of child development
services are: the lack of caregiver knowledge and understanding of child development.
Caregivers frequently compare their child with the development of other children and it
the milestones are similar they will think that their child has normal development. Parents
also report feeling criticized upon positive development screening which cause caregivers
to feel distressed and reluctant to return for follow-up appointments. Other significant
barriers include a lack of time to attend scheduled visits, difficulty remembering
appointment dates, and transportation challenges in accessing service facilities.
A qualitative study using individual in-depth interviews and thematic analysis was
conducted to identify recurring patterns of meaning within the data. This approach aimed
to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing service utilization and
follow-up developmental stimulation for children within the Thai context. The study
explored these dynamics from the perspectives of 10 caregivers and 10 healthcare
providers (HCPs) who provide care to children with suspected delays or confirmed
developmental delays. We found that beyond external factors, there are critical internal
factors that deter caregivers from bringing their children in for developmental services.
Foremost among these is the emotional difficulty of accepting a child’s developmental
delays; such a diagnosis is often perceived as 'bad news' that feels ambiguous, non-urgent,
and could be safely deferred. This hesitation is further compounded by pervasive deepseated family and community beliefs that minimize the issue, many relying on the
assumption that the child will naturally outgrow the condition. Additionally, caregivers
frequently grapple with prioritization and balancing competing responsibilities—all
occurring despite the profound dedication and efforts of healthcare personnel.
The design of KhunLook development module aim to addresses these multiple gaps. It
serves as a source of trusted knowledge, featuring condensed content-validated versions of
the DSPM, DAIM, and TEDA4I development tools, with instructional illustrations and video
guides. The content is tailored to offer positive reinforcement, encouraging caregivers to
actively engage in their child’s development. KhunLook app is amplified by the core strengths
of mHealth—convenience, portability, user empowerment and universal accessibility—
thereby reducing inequities in information access and optimizing workflows. Consequently,
the project has included features to enhance functional completeness, including: tutorials,
development logs for “milestones” (DSPM and DAIM) “targeted developmental exercises”
(TEDA4I) enabling accessible data entry and child development logging, designed to actively
incentivize and motivate caregivers throughout the screening and recording process with daily
check-ins, streaks and badges achievement page, a development history calendar log screen,
a specialist directory, and an automated daily push notification system.
KhunLook app was found to be credible, relevant, modern, user-friendy, and easy to
comprehend. It yields excellent satisfaction rates among caregivers while serving as an
effective alternative tool that alleviates the workload of public health personnel. KhunLook
app is well-suited to supplement DSPM DAIM and TEDA4I developmental manuals and
could be a viable substitute with the potential for scaled, nationwide adoption. This
alignment directly supports digital healthcare policies and successfully bridges the gap in
early childhood development information access and care.
