Developmental Delay In Young Children Research Articles

Factors Associated With Caregiver Reporting of Developmental Concerns Among Children in Low-Income Communities

Early detection and access to interventions for developmental delays in young children have been shown to improve health, social, and academic outcomes later in life. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors associated with caregivers' perception of child developmental concerns in low-income communities. A countywide survey was conducted in Los Angeles County (LAC), California, among 4,863 participating Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) families with children ages 1–4 years. Proportional odds ordinal logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between the severity of reported developmental concerns and respondent characteristics. Results indicate that demographic characteristics, support systems, health care visits during COVID-19, and maternal symptoms of depression are associated with higher odds of reporting more severe developmental concerns among the WIC population. Advancing policies, programs, and research that aim to improve early detection and access to childhood professionals for all families will be essential to allow all children in low-income households to optimize their development.

Addressing Parental Gatekeeping in Early-Intervention Services: Engaging all Caregivers.

The successful implementation of early interventions (EIs) within families is crucial in mitigating language and developmental delays in young children. Considering that language acquisition primarily occurs through interactions between caregivers and children, parental involvement plays a significant role in EI services. Working within families where one parent interferes with the involvement of the child's other parent or caregiver can be challenging for service providers. This article examines parental gatekeeping-a concept from the family science literature that can have a significant impact on services provided by speech language pathologists (SLPs). We outline and provide examples of family dynamics that may pose challenges to SLPs working with young children and their families as well as provide strategies for effectively navigating and working within these dynamics.

The association between parental risks and childhood development: findings from a community-based survey in East China

BackgroundNurturing care is necessary for optimal early childhood development. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of parental risks in rural East China and assess their impacts on early development in children younger than three years old.MethodsThis community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 3852 caregiver-child pairs in Zhejiang Province from December 2019 to January 2020. Children aged 0 to 3 years were recruited from China’s Early Childhood Development Program (ECD). Local child health care providers conducted face-to-face interviews with the primary caregivers. Demographic information of the participants was collected by questionnaire. Each child was screened for parental risk through the Parental Risk Checklist designed by the ECD program. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) was used to identify children with potential developmental delays. Multinomial logistic regression model and linear trend test were applied to assess the association between parental risks and suspected developmental delays.ResultsAmong the 3852 children included in the analyses, 46.70% had at least one parental risk and 9.01% presented suspected developmental delays in any domain of ASQ. Parental risk was statistically associated with the overall suspected developmental delay in young children (Relative Risk Ratio (RRR): 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08, 1.72; P = 0.010) after adjusting potential confounders. Compared with children with no parental risk, children exposed to 3 or more parental risks had 2.59, 5.76, 3.95, and 2.84 times higher risk of the suspected developmental delay in overall ASQ, communication, problem-solving, and personal-social domain, respectively (P values < 0.05). The linear trend tests found that the more parental risks, the higher possibility of developmental delay (P values < 0.05).ConclusionsParental risks are prevalent among children under three years in rural East China, which may increase the risk of developmental delays in children. Meanwhile, parental risk screening can be used to recognize poor nurturing care in primary health care settings. Targeted interventions are warranted to improve nurturing care for optimal early childhood development.

Задержки раннего развития у детей с краниоцеребральной диспропорцией

The article offers a description of an urgent medical problem that has been actively considered as an interdisciplinary problem for several years. The author considers the formation of child development delays as an element of pathogenesis in case of craniocerebral disproportion / nonsyndromiccraniosynostosis resulting from perinatal lesions of the central nervous system, and he describes this cause-and-effect relationship based on his own model [4,5] and literature data. &#x0D; This approach makes it possible to introduce new details into the understanding of pathogenesis of developmental delays in young children and, consequently, to consider new methods of solving the problem of their correction.

Сучасні підходи до виявлення порушень розвитку дітей раннього віку в медичній практиці

Purpose - to analyze and summarize the international experience of using developmental screening of children in the first years of life for early detection of developmental delays and to improve the effectiveness of correctional and developmental strategies, taking into account the achievements of modern medical science and practice. The article presents modern approaches to the identification of developmental delays in young children in medical practice using screening tools, which makes it possible to establish risks in a timely manner and determine the route of assistance to the child. This model involves strengthening cooperation between specialists in the medical, psychological, pedagogical and social spheres among themselves, as well as between specialists and parents. The importance of involving parents in the screening process, using their knowledge to obtain comprehensive and complete information on the child’s development is emphasized. Medical and psychological-pedagogical support for the family of a child with health disorders and developmental delays, in the process of which specialists help parents create a special developmental environment at home to meet the child’s special needs in a timely manner, is the most effective form of comprehensive assistance, including early intervention services. Information is given on the international experience of implementing the screening system for the development of young children and its effectiveness. It is shown that the use of screening assessment and monitoring of development in medical practice creates prerequisites for identifying problems in development at an early stage, preserving health, improving the well-being of children and families that raise them, allows to increase the effectiveness of treatment or development activities, minimize existing and prevent secondary developmental delays in the child. It is shown that the involvement of primary health care doctors in developmental screening is an important stage in the formation of a system of modern care for young children and their families. The necessity of introducing developmental screening into everyday practice, into the work process of primary medical care specialists and ensuring their appropriate training has been proven. No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

Language and Culture Backgrounds of Mothers and Child Development: A Nationwide Study on the Incidence of Developmental Delays in Children Born to Immigrant Mothers in Taiwan.

Background: Transnational marriages are common as a result of globalization, and immigrant mothers face various degrees of differences in language and culture backgrounds. Mothers have great influences on the development of their children, but the effects of immigrant mothers' language and culture backgrounds on developmental delays (DD) are seldom studied. To evaluate the potential effects of immigrant mothers' language and culture backgrounds on DD of their children, we conducted a nationwide study in Taiwan.Methods: We analyzed the data from the national registry of DD in Taiwan from 2010 to 2013 and compared the incidence of DD in young children born to mothers from China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, where most of the immigrant mothers in Taiwan come from. Amongst the three countries, China is the closest to Taiwan in terms of language and culture, followed by Vietnam, and then Indonesia.Results: We identified 4,604 patients of DD in children under 7 years old. The incidence rates showed an increasing trend among children born to mothers from China, Vietnam, and Indonesia (p < 0.01 in all years). Using children born to mothers from Vietnam, whose incidence rate of DD was in the middle amongst the three groups, as the reference, we found the incidence rate ratios in children born to mothers from China ranged from 0.65 to 0.73, and those in children born to mothers from Indonesia ranged from 1.04 to 1.26.Conclusions: The findings support the important role of mothers' language and culture backgrounds in the development of children.

Factors associated with enrollment into a clinical trial of caregiver-implemented intervention for infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder.

Early intervention helps to address developmental delays in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Yet, research suggests there are barriers to enrollment into research studies that test the effectiveness of these interventions for infants at risk. This study identifies family characteristics that were associated with agreement to enroll in a clinical trial of early intervention for 12-month-old infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder. As part of a large longitudinal study, infants were evaluated for early signs of autism spectrum disorder at 1 year of age. Of the fifty-seven infants who were showing signs of autism and deemed eligible for the early intervention trial, 44% declined enrollment. Results suggest that families were more likely to decline enrolling into the intervention study if the mother was working full time, the total household income was between US$60,000 and US$100,000, and they lived further from the clinic. In contrast, infant autism symptoms and parental concern at 12 months were not significantly associated with enrollment. These findings highlight the need for intervention studies that are more accessible to parents, for example, intervention that takes place in the home, in addition to more research on how parental understanding of, and willingness to act on, early social-communication delays impact intervention study enrollment. Future research can then examine how to address these barriers to enrollment in early intervention studies. Such findings will shed light on best practices for dissemination of early identification and intervention strategies.

1.47 PREDICTORS OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME AT 4-6 YEARS IN YOUNG CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY

The prognosis of developmental delay in young children varies and is difficult to predict. The purpose of this study was to compare early developmental profiles at ages 2–4 years according to the diagnosis at age 4–6 years. In addition, our goal was to investigate the predictors of the intelligence at ages 4–6 years in young children with developmental delay.

Tafenoquine: A Breakthrough Drug for Radical Cure and Elimination of Malaria

Forty percent of the world’s population is at risk of Plasmodium vivax infection. Relapse is a feature of malaria caused by P. vivax and P. ovale due to the presence of the parasite’s hypnozoite stage that allows it to stay dormant in the human liver. The associated morbidity and economic burden is high, as P. vivax causes severe anemia, miscarriage among pregnant women, malnutrition, and developmental delay in young children due to its chronic relapsing nature. Till recently, for more than 60 years the only licensed antimalarial with proven hypnozoitocidal activity was primaquine. The World Health Organization recommends a regimen of 3-day chloroquine plus 14 days of primaquine for radical cure. Poor adherence to the primaquine course limits its public health benefit on a large scale. Tafenoquine is an 8-aminoquinoline with slower elimination rate, hence a single dose of it is sufficient for hypnozoitocidal activity. Additionally, the schizontocidal activity of tafenoquine makes it a superior drug to the currently available antimalarials, which are mostly single stage specific. Recently, tafenoquine was approved in the USA and Australia for the radical cure of P. vivax malaria in patients aged ≥16 years who are receiving appropriate antimalarial therapy for acute P. vivax malaria, and for the prophylaxis of malaria in patients aged ≥18 years. We have reviewed the available literature of tafenoquine here, and this article explores the possibility of tafenoquine as a key tool for control and elimination of malaria.

Effects of Mothers' Language and Culture Backgrounds on Developmental Delays: A Nationwide Study on Children Born to Immigrant Mothers in Taiwan

Transnational marriages are common as a result of globalization, and immigrant mothers face various degrees of differences in language and culture backgrounds. A mother has a large influence on the development of her children, but the effects of immigrant mothers&amp;#8217; language and culture backgrounds on developmental delays (DD) of children are seldom studied. To evaluate the potential effects, we analyzed data from the national registry of DD in Taiwan from 2010 to 2013 and compared the incidence of DD in young children born to mothers from China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, where most of the immigrant mothers in Taiwan come from. We included 4604 new cases of DD in children under 7 years of age born to immigrant mothers during the study period. The incidence rates showed an increasing trend among children born to mothers from China, Vietnam, and Indonesia (p &amp;lt; 0.01 in all years). Using Vietnam as the reference, we found the incidence rate ratios in children born to mothers from China ranged from 0.65 to 0.73, and those in children born to mothers from Indonesia ranged from 1.04 to 1.26. The findings support the important role of mothers&amp;#8217; language and culture backgrounds in the development of children.

Retrospective review of pediatric status epilepticus in 116 Saudi patients: predictors of outcome

BACKGROUNDStatus epilepticus (SE) is a common, life-threatening condition. Multiple factors are used to predict its outcome and evaluate its risks, and there have been only a few studies in Saudi Arabia.OBJECTIVESInvestigate predictors of SE outcome.DESIGNRetrospective chart review study.SETTINGTertiary center, Riyadh.PATIENTS AND METHODSWe reviewed all pediatric cases (age 14 years or younger) of SE admitted between January 2005 and December 2015, collecting data on age, sex, date of birth, developmental status, pre-existing neurological diseases, SE etiology, Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores, and electroencephalogram (EEG) findings. The outcome was categorized as poor based on any decrease in baseline GOS score or moderate-to-severe developmental delay in young children; otherwise outcome was considered good.MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREOutcome of SE.RESULTSOne hundred and sixteen patients (54% boys) with ages from 1 month to 10 years were included in the analysis. Fifty-five (47.4%) had a poor outcome. The overall mortality rate related to SE was 2.6%. Four patients had an SE duration of more than 24 hours. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that poor outcome was related to symptomatic SE etiology and a history of epilepsy. Age, sex, SE duration, and EEG findings were not predictors of poor outcome.CONCLUSIONPediatric status epilepticus is highly associated with neurological morbidity. The main predictor of outcome is underlying symptomatic etiology of SE and to a lesser degree the presence of a history of epilepsy. Duration does not seem to play a major role.LIMITATIONSThe main limitation is the retrospective chart review nature of the study with possible bias.

ASQ-3 scores are sensitive to small differences in age in a Peruvian infant population.

The Ages and Stages Questionnaires Edition 3 (ASQ-3) are a well-validated international screen for developmental delays in young children. However, previous studies demonstrate variable scores between children eligible to take the same ASQ-3 interval. This study aimed to determine a relationship between age and ASQ-3 score for each screening interval. This was a baseline exploratory cross-sectional study of infants under 2years old evaluated for the Peruvian social programme Cuna Más. Participants were included in Cuna Más if they lived in districts with fewer than 2000 inhabitants or 400 homes, indicating a predominantly rural population. The appropriate ASQ-3 screening interval was administered to each subject. Subjects were divided into four 2-week chronological subgroups based on age within each 2-month screening window and aggregated across all 12 screening intervals. Fisher's exact test, analysis of variance and Bonferonni post hoc test were used to compare differences between age subgroups. Linear regression was performed to assess the relationship between ASQ-3 score and both aggregated and disaggregated age subgroup. A total of 5850 Peruvian infants were evaluated in 2013. Mean age was 13±6.6months, 50.7% were male and mean maternal education was 6.6±4.0years; 34.8% infants were stunted, 7.8% were underweight, 0.9% were wasted and 2% had age adjusted greater than 35days for prematurity for ASQ-3 interval assignment. Mean total ASQ-3 was 42.2±8.2. The ASQ-3 allocated 49.6% with suspected delay in one or more developmental areas. Before and after adjusting for wealth quintile, maternal education level, infant nutritional status and prematurity adjustment, age subgroup remained significantly associated with total ASQ-3 score (β=1.8, CI: 1.7-2.0, P<0.001), sectional ASQ-3 score (all P<0.001) and inversely associated with one or more scores indicating suspected developmental delay (P<0.001). The ASQ-3 may underestimate the sensitivity of child development to small differences in age in this population.

Developmental delay in young children with sleep-disordered breathing before and after tonsil and adenoid surgery

ObjectiveOur objective was to determine the developmental status of young children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) as measured by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) and to evaluate improvement after treatment. MethodsThe ASQ-3 was completed at entry, 3 months and 6 months after adenotonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. The questionnaire consists of 30 items that assess five domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving and personal-social. Domain scores were compared with normative values: abnormal ≥2 SDs and borderline ≥1 but <2 SDs below the mean. Results80 children, mean (SD) age 3.0 (0.94) years, 62.5% male, 77.5% African American, were enrolled. Median (range) apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) was 12.6 (1.4–178.5). At entry, 22 (27.5%) children scored in the abnormal range in at least one developmental area and an additional 23 (28.8%) had at least one borderline score. A generalized linear model including gender, AHI, maternal education and prematurity showed that only prematurity was an independent predictor of at least one abnormal or borderline entry score (likelihood ratio test p < 0.001). Adjusting for covariates and excluding children with a history of prematurity, the prevalence of at least one abnormal or borderline score (based on 112 observations of 70 children) was estimated at 49% (95% CI [37, 62]) at baseline; 34% (95% CI [17, 56]) at 3 months; and 22% (95% CI [10, 41]) at 6 months. Post-hoc pairwise comparison of time points showed the baseline versus 6-month difference to be statistically significant (p = 0.015). ConclusionsThe 27.5% baseline prevalence of abnormal ASQ scores in children with SDB indicates it is a risk factor for developmental delay. Significant improvements in score classifications were found 6 months after surgery.

Maternal nationality and developmental delays in young children: Analysis of the data from the national registry in Taiwan

BackgroundWith globalization, transnational marriages become more and more common around the world. Children born to immigrant mothers might be more likely to have developmental delays, but studies on this topic are limited and with inconsistent results. AimsTo determine whether children born to immigrant mothers are more likely to have developmental delays. Methods and proceduresWe analyzed the data from the national registry of children with developmental delays from 2009 to 2013 and compared the incidence of developmental delays between children born to immigrant mothers and native mothers. We also performed stratified analyses by age, sex, and geographic area. Outcomes and resultsFrom 2009 to 2013, 78,946 new cases of developmental delays under 6 years of age were registered, including 5619 (7.1%) born to immigrant mothers. The incidence was higher in children born to native mothers in every year with rate ratios ranging from 1.32 to 1.48, and the differences reached statistical significance even after stratification by age, sex, and geographic area. Conclusions and implicationsChildren born to immigrant mothers had lower incidence of developmental delays in Taiwan. The result may help reduce the discrimination of foreign spouses and their children.

Performance of South African children on the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales-Developmental Profile (CSBS DP).

Substantial development in social communication skills occurs in the first two years of life. Growth should be evident in sharing emotion and eye gaze; rate of communication, communicating for a variety of functions; using gestures, sounds and words; understanding language, and using functional and pretend actions with objects in play. A delay in these early social communication skills may be the first sign of a developmental delay in young children in nearly all categories of disabilities-including specific language impairment, autism spectrum disorder, HIV/AIDS, lack of environmental stimulation or institutionalization, and global developmental delays-and early detection of these delays is critical for enrolment in appropriate early intervention services. No standardized tests of early social communication skills exist for very young children in South Africa (SA). An existing evaluation tool that has the potential to be culturally fair for children from cultural backgrounds different to the standardization group is the Communication and Symbolic Behaviour Scales-Developmental Profile (CSBS DP). This study aimed to document the performance of a group of English-speaking SA children ranging in age from 12 to 24 months on the CSBS DP and to compare this performance with the original standardization sample. Sixty-seven English-speaking SA children from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds were assessed on the CSBS DP Behaviour Sample. Group scores were compared with the original standardization sample using inferential statistics. The results provide preliminary support for the suitability and validity of the face-to-face Behaviour Sample as a measure of early social communication skills in this sample of English-speaking SA children from a range of cultural groups between 12 and 24 months of age. While further research in the SA population is needed, these findings are a first step towards validating a culturally appropriate measure for early detection of social communication delays in a sample of SA toddlers.

Effects of overweight and obesity on motor and mental development in infants and toddlers

A consequence of childhood obesity may be poor developmental outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between weight and developmental delays in young children. We conducted a secondary analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort data. Logistic regression models quantified the association between different weight statuses (normal weight <85th, overweight ≥90th, obese ≥95th percentile for weight) and delays in motor and mental development. Children classified as overweight in both waves had higher percentages of delays in wave 2 (motor [7.5 vs. 6.2-6.4%], mental [8.6 vs. 5.9-6.7%]), as well as wave 1 and/or wave 2 (motor [14.8 vs. 10.9-13.0%], mental [11.9 vs. 9.0-10.1%]), compared with other children. This association was also found in children who were obese at both time points in wave 2 (motor delay [8.9 vs. 4.9-7.3%], mental delay [10.3 vs. 6.0-7.2%]), as well as wave 1 and/or wave 2 (motor delay [14.5 vs. 10.9-12.9%], mental delay [14.1 vs. 9.4-10.1%]). In the adjusted models, children classified as always obese were more likely to have a mental delay in wave 2 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-2.95) as well as wave 1 and/or wave 2 (aOR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.08-2.26). These children were also more likely to have motor delay (aOR 1.47, 95% CI: 1.02-2.13) in wave 1 and/or wave 2. Overweight children are more likely than their normal-weight peers to have motor and mental developmental delays. Preventing obesity during infancy may facilitate reducing developmental delays in young children.

Factors influencing participation by preschool children with mild intellectual disabilities in Sweden: with or without diagnosis

This article analyses the conceptualisation of mild intellectual disability and developmental delay in young children in Sweden, particularly in regard to children's participation and possible stigmatisation in preschool. A diagnosis of intellectual disability is more likely to ensure that preschool staff received targeted external support. However, children with or without a diagnosis can exhibit the same functional problems. Current research in the area suggests that a diagnosis itself will not guarantee that external support is provided for the child. Nor does a diagnosis always lead to stigmatisation. Research indicates that the manner in which special support is delivered may contribute to stigmatisation. The current provision of special support can mean that a child does not participate in the same activities as other children, when ideally special support should facilitate participation in the same activities as others. Other means to identify children for targeted support may be necessary in order to provide targeted services earlier.

Functional changes in glutamate transporters and astrocyte biophysical properties in a rodent model of focal cortical dysplasia

Cortical dysplasia is associated with intractable epilepsy and developmental delay in young children. Recent work with the rat freeze-induced focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) model has demonstrated that hyperexcitability in the dysplastic cortex is due in part to higher levels of extracellular glutamate. Astrocyte glutamate transporters play a pivotal role in cortical maintaining extracellular glutamate concentrations. Here we examined the function of astrocytic glutamate transporters in a FCD model in rats. Neocortical freeze lesions were made in postnatal day (PN) 1 rat pups and whole cell electrophysiological recordings and biochemical studies were performed at PN 21–28. Synaptically evoked glutamate transporter currents in astrocytes showed a near 10-fold reduction in amplitude compared to sham operated controls. Astrocyte glutamate transporter currents from lesioned animals were also significantly reduced when challenged exogenously applied glutamate. Reduced astrocytic glutamate transport clearance contributed to increased NMDA receptor-mediated current decay kinetics in lesioned animals. The electrophysiological profile of astrocytes in the lesion group was also markedly changed compared to sham operated animals. Control astrocytes demonstrate large-amplitude linear leak currents in response to voltage-steps whereas astrocytes in lesioned animals demonstrated significantly smaller voltage-activated inward and outward currents. Significant decreases in astrocyte resting membrane potential and increases in input resistance were observed in lesioned animals. However, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR demonstrated no differences in the expression of the astrocytic glutamate transporter GLT-1 in lesioned animals relative to controls. These data suggest that, in the absence of changes in protein or mRNA expression levels, functional changes in astrocytic glutamate transporters contribute to neuronal hyperexcitability in the FCD model.

Developmental outcomes in young children born to mothers with West Nile illness during pregnancy.

West Nile virus (WNV) infection is associated with acute morbidity and mortality in adults and children. Information on the effects of maternal WNV illness during pregnancy on early childhood development is limited. This study was designed to examine the relationship between maternal WNV illness during pregnancy and birth and developmental outcomes at age 3 years. Mother-child participants were identified using a national surveillance registry for women with WNV illness during pregnancy. Maternal and infant health data and relevant family characteristics were obtained through medical record reviews and maternal questionnaires. All infants received ophthalmologic examinations. Child development was evaluated at age 3 years using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III). As a group, the children's (N = 11) birth weight, head circumference, and infant ophthalmologic examination results were within age expectations; one child was born preterm (gestational age 36 weeks). Mean (SD) age at the time of Bayley-III testing was 36.7 (3.8) months. The group's mean performance on the Bayley-III was at or above age level in all domains, but one child showed a mild delay in the Adaptive domain. The variability observed in this sample (1/53 [1.9%] Domain scores < -2.0 SDs) was consistent with expectations based upon the distribution of Bayley-III Domain scores in the general population. Maternal WNV infection does not appear to be associated with global developmental delays in young children. These results are preliminary, however, and require confirmation in future research.

Autism and Developmental Delays in Young Children

This book review article provides information on a book entitled Autism and Developmental Delays in Young Children, written by Gerald Mahoney & James D. MacDonald, published in 2007