Usefulness of the Korean Developmental Screening Test for infants and children for the evaluation of developmental delay in Korean infants and children: a single-center study

Abstract

PurposeTo evaluate the usefulness of the Korean Developmental Screening Test (K-DST) for infants and children for developmental delay assessment.MethodsThis study was based on retrospective studies of the results of the K-DST, Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale (PRES), Sequenced Language Scale for Infants (SELSI), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging, and extensive tests conducted in 209 of 1,403 patients, of whom 758 underwent the K-DST at the Korea University Guro Hospital between January 2015 and December 2016 and 645 were referred from local clinics between January 2015 and June 2016.ResultsBased on the K-DST results, the male children significantly more frequently required further or follow-up examination than the female children in most test sections, except for gross motor. The male children had notably lower mean scores than the female children. The PRES/SELSI results showed that when more further or follow-up evaluations were required in the K-DST communication section, significantly more problems in language delay or disorder emerged. When further or follow-up evaluation was required in the cognitive section in the CARS/M-CHAT, the possibility of autism increased significantly. A child tended to score low in the CARS test and show autism when further or follow-up evaluation was recommended in the K-DST.ConclusionThis study demonstrated the usefulness of the K-DST as a screening test early in the development of infants and children in Korea. Data of normal control groups should be examined to determine the accuracy of this investigation.

Validity of the Korean Developmental Screening Test for very-low-birth-weight infants

“…A meta-analysis has shown the positive predictive value of the BSID-II for the development of preterm and VLBW children [27]. Neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm children in Korea are also determined by screening instruments such as the Denver Developmental Screening Test-II (DDST-II) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire in Korea (K-ASQ) [10-11,28,29]. The DDST-II is widely used as the screening test for evelopmental delay in the four areas of social contact, fine motor skill, gross motor skill, and language [30].…”

“…Therefore, these limitations have increased the need for appropriate testing tools for infants and young children in Korea. The Korean-Developmental Screening Test for infants and children (K-DST), a developmental screening tool acknowledged by the Korean Society of Pediatrics for infant and child health screening, has been available for screening neurodevelopmental delay in Korean children since 2014 [11]. This test verifies whether Korean infants have standard development in the 6 domains of gross motor, fine motor, cognition, language, sociality, and self-help [11].…”

Relationship between Clinical Parameters and Chromosomal Microarray Data in Infants with Developmental Delay

“…Most of the infants showed delayed gross motor function or impaired language performance compared to age-matched children with no developmental problems. According to the after Korean Developmental Screening Test (K-DST) manual, the children can be categorized into four groups based on their individual K-DST result: further evaluation (<−2 standard deviation [−2SD]), follow-up test (−2SD to −1SD), peer-level (−1SD to 1SD), and high level (>1SD) [ 12 , 13 ]. We recommended CMA testing for children classified within the ‘further evaluation’ or ‘follow-up test’ groups.…”

“…The K-DST includes 6 sections that assess developmental areas of gross motor, fine motor, cognition, communication, social interaction, and self-control. Additional questions are designed to take into account clinically important diseases, such as cerebral palsy, language delay, and autism [ 12 , 13 ]. Therefore, all infants with DD who included in this study were classified within the ‘further evaluation’ or ‘follow-up test’ groups.…”

Should we regularly evaluate the neurodevelopmental status of moderate and late preterm infants?

“…In 2015, a new developmental screening test based on parental response, the Korean Developmental Screening Test for Infants and Children (K-DST), was developed and launched in the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children. 10) About 75% of infants and children who were born in Korea, including preterm infants, have since been screened annually by the K-DST as a part of the national health screening program. All children are provided with annual screening opportunities by the K-DST; furthermore, MLPT children must be evaluated and monitored by pediatric neurologists or psychiatrists according to a standardized protocol if they show any signs of developmental delay or behavioral problems.…”