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Developmental and functional outcomes in children with global developmental delay or developmental language
Michael Shevell1, Annette Majnemer, Robert W Platt
1Department of Neurology/Neurosurgery, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal Children's Hospital-McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. michael.shevell@muhc.mcgill.ca
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|September 22, 2005
Summary
Children diagnosed with global developmental delay (GDD) or developmental language impairment (DLI) in preschool often show persistent deficits. Early diagnosis of GDD or DLI predicts later developmental and functional challenges.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Child Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Background:
- Preschool children diagnosed with global developmental delay (GDD) or developmental language impairment (DLI) require longitudinal assessment.
- Understanding the long-term outcomes of these early diagnoses is crucial for intervention planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reassess children with GDD and DLI in early school years using standardized developmental and functional measures.
- To determine the prognostic validity of preschool diagnoses of GDD and DLI.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of preschool children diagnosed with GDD or DLI were followed up and reassessed.
- Standardized outcome measures included the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS).
- Statistical analyses compared scores between GDD and DLI groups and examined the proportion of children below cut-off scores.
Main Results:
- Children with GDD consistently scored lower than children with DLI on the BDI and VABS, across most subdomains.
- The proportion of children falling below meaningful cut-offs was significantly higher for the GDD group.
- Preschool diagnoses of GDD and DLI demonstrated prognostic validity for later developmental and functional deficits.
Conclusions:
- Preschool diagnosis of global developmental delay (GDD) is associated with more significant and persistent developmental and functional deficits compared to developmental language impairment (DLI).
- Early identification and intervention for children with GDD and DLI are essential due to the likelihood of ongoing challenges.
- These findings underscore the importance of longitudinal follow-up and targeted support for children with neurodevelopmental delays identified in early childhood.