Assessment of cognitive status
The cognitive status of the children was assessed with a standardized tool, “Cognitive development test for pre-scholars Scale” (PCDTP-p)The assessor administered the test individually in an exclusively private room. Each child was given sufficient time to complete all the test items. Before the test, the child was made physically comfortable. Test results were recorded simultaneously on the scorecards. For each correct answer, one mark was awarded. The total score constituted the ‘raw’ scores of the subject (child). The total raw scores were converted to standard scores as per their age according to the table of norms and instructions provided along with the tool by the original authors of the tool. The following formula for conversion of raw score to standard score (Z-scores) was used. Z-Score = (X−M/SD): where X, score; M, mean of the raw score; SD, standard deviation of raw scores.Based on the z score, the child’s cognitive development was interpreted (Table Interpretation of the status of cognitive development.