From a Focused Group to a National Movement: Evolution of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics Chapter of Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics (IAP-NDP).

The evolution of neurodevelopmental pediatrics in India reflects a broader transition in child health priorities from survival to optimal developmental outcomes. This process began within the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) around 1992 with the formation of the Childhood Disability Group, a focused collective addressing developmental disorders within pediatric practice. Over the next two decades, the group expanded through sustained academic engagement, including annual scientific meetings and the establishment of the National Childhood Disability Conference in 2009, which marked a phase of national visibility. Subsequent milestones included the development of several National Consensus Guidelines on various neurodevelopmental conditions over the next two decades, initiation of structured fellowship programs, and eventual transition into the IAP Chapter of Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics (IAP-NDP) in 2015. These developments have contributed to increasing integration of developmental surveillance and early intervention into pediatric practice.