Prevalence of suspected developmental delays in early infancy: results from a regional population-based longitudinal study

Abstract

BackgroundPrevalence estimates on suspected developmental delays (SDD) in young infants are scarce and a necessary first step for planning an early intervention. We investigated the prevalence of SDD at 4, 6 and 12 months, in addition to associations of SDD with gender, prematurity and maternal education.MethodsThis study is based on a Norwegian longitudinal sample of 1555 infants and their parents attending well-baby clinics for regular health check-ups. Moreover, parents completed the Norwegian translation of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) prior to the check-up, with a corrected gestational age being used to determine the time of administration for preterm infants. Scores ≤ the established cut-offs in one or more of the five development areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving and personal-social, which defined SDD for an infant were reported. Chi-square tests were performed for associations between the selected factors and SDD.ResultsAccording to established Norwegian cut-off points, the overall prevalence of SDD in one or more areas was 7.0 % (10.3 % US cut-off) at 4 months, 5.7 % (12.3 % US cut-off) at 6 months and 6.1 % (10.3 % US cut-off) at 12 months. The highest prevalence of SDD was in the gross motor area at all three time points. A gestational age of < 37 weeks revealed a significant association with the communication SDD at 4 months, and with the fine motor and personal social SDD at 6 months. Gender was significantly associated with the fine motor and problem solving SDD at 4 months and personal- social SDD at 6 months: as more boys than girls were delayed. No significant associations were found between maternal education and the five developmental areas of the ASQ.ConclusionOur findings indicate prevalence rates of SDD between 5.7 and 7.0 % in Norwegian infants between 4 and 12 months of age based on the Norwegian ASQ cut-off points (10.3–12.3 %, US cut-off points). During the first year of life, delay is most frequent within the gross motor area. Special attention should be paid to infants born prematurely, as well as to boys. Separate norms for boys and girls should be considered for the ASQ.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12887-015-0528-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Maternal Intimate Partner Violence: Relationships with Language and Neurological Development of Infants and Toddlers

“…Another study found reduced expression and activity of placental 11β-HSD2 (a placental enzyme that protects the fetus from harmful effects of stress) in male fetuses compared to their female counterparts [30, 32]. Finally, many epidemiological studies have shown that fetal morbidity/mortality, neurodevelopmental alterations, and pregnancy complications are more associated with male fetuses than females [10, 33]. The underlying mechanisms in these male-female fetal differences have not been elucidated.…”

Comparative use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires in the USA and Scandinavia: a systematic review

“…Studies generally support the ability of the ASQ/ASQ:SE to effectively and feasibly detect children with suspected developmental–behavioural problems and to determine typical developmental pathways . However, no Scandinavian ASQ‐3 norming and/or validation studies, or ASQ:SE‐2 norming studies, were found in our literature search.…”

“…Results for Scandinavian children with concerning screens from the ASQ/ASQ:SE were quite inconsistent compared with US studies where, at a minimum, children were routinely referred to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act EI/ECSE programmes (which are available in every county of every state). These Scandinavian children often had no clearly described follow‐up plan, or they received further assessment (typically with a psychologist or medical subspecialist) based on individualized research protocols . The literature also collectively indicates different follow‐up procedures in different regional municipalities throughout Denmark, Norway, and Sweden .…”

“…Evidence from the included articles, combined with knowledge of the Scandinavian model of preventive care, highlights many opportunities. First steps include norming the latest versions of the ASQ and ASQ:SE and then evaluating their impact in home‐visit, primary care medical, and early learning/preschool settings.…”

“…70,77 The 2004 ASQ-2 norming study by Janson and Squires used a randomized sample from the Norwegian population; 71 however, it is now out of date. Valla et al 67 supported the construct validity of the ASQ-2 but recommended sex-dependent norms to improve effectiveness; however, the English ASQ-3 was published in 2009. 21…”