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[Early diagnosis of intellectual deficiency]
S Ottaviano1, L Baldini, M Innocenzi
1Istituto di Neuropsichiatria Infantile, Università La Sapienza, Roma, Italia.
Insights
Neurologic examination did not correlate with infant cognitive development in early infancy. However, attentive motor skills in newborns can predict cognitive abilities up to 12 months of age.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Pediatric neurology
Background:
- Assessing infant cognitive development is crucial for early intervention.
- Understanding predictive markers for cognitive competence in early infancy is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between neurologic examination and cognitive competence in the first two months of life.
- To identify predictive indices of future cognitive abilities in infants, including those with perinatal brain damage.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS) and the Brunet-Lezine Scale in 18 infants.
- Assessed attentive motricity in 52 infants (less than two months old) with or without perinatal brain damage.
Main Results:
- No significant correlation was found between neurologic examination and cognitive competence development in the first two months.
- Attentive motricity emerged as a significant predictive index for cognitive abilities up to 12 months of age.
Conclusions:
- Standard neurologic examination may not be a reliable predictor of early cognitive development.
- Attentive motricity is a promising early indicator for tracking cognitive development trajectories in infants.
Abstract:
The Author reports the results of some studies of the developing cognitive competences in infants. Utilizing the Hz-giris-Hunt's and the Brunet-Lezine's Scales in 18 infants during the two first months of life did not observe significant correlation between neurologic examination and development of cognitive competence. In an other study of 52 infants of less than two months old, with or without perinatal brain damage, the attentive motricity resulted to be predictive index of future cognitive abilities until twelfth month of age.