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Parents' reports predict abnormal investigations in global developmental delay
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101, USA. rtervo@gillettechildrens.com
Insights
Parental reports of specific developmental delays in preschoolers can predict abnormal medical test results. Clumsiness and passivity in children are linked to higher chances of abnormal findings, guiding further investigations.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Clinical Genetics
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Global developmental delay (GDD) affects a significant number of young children.
- Identifying predictive markers for abnormal investigations in GDD is crucial for timely intervention.
- Parental reporting is a valuable, yet often underutilized, source of clinical information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if parental symptom reports can predict abnormal laboratory investigations in preschoolers diagnosed with GDD.
- To identify specific parental observations that correlate with abnormal diagnostic test results.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional descriptive study involving 119 preschoolers (81 boys, 38 girls) with GDD.
- Parents/guardians completed semistructured interviews, the Child Development Inventory (CDI), Possible Problems Checklist (PPC), and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
Main Results:
- 40% of children had at least one abnormal investigation (MRI, chromosomal analysis, fragile X testing, array CGH).
- Younger children with more severe delays, who were more passive and less disobedient, were more likely to have abnormal tests.
- Increased parental reports of language comprehension and social development predicted abnormal investigations, while increased expressive language and fine motor skills predicted normal results.
Conclusions:
- Parental symptom reporting is a significant predictor of abnormal laboratory investigations in children with GDD.
- Quantifiable differences in reported developmental ratios can guide the necessity and focus of further medical investigations.
Aims:
To identify symptoms reported by parents that predict abnormal laboratory investigations in preschoolers with global developmental delay (GDD).
Methods:
A cross-sectional descriptive study of 81 boys and 38 girls, with a mean age of 43.5 months (SD = 13.4), with global developmental delay. All parents/guardians completed the following: (1) a semistructured interview about their child and family; (2) the Child Development Inventory (CDI); (3) the Possible Problems Checklist (PPC); and (4) the Child Behavior Checklist 1(1/2)-5 (CBCL).
Results:
There were 61 abnormal results: MRI 37 (31%); high-resolution chromosomes 8 (7%); fragile X molecular testing 4 (3%); and microarray comparative genomic hybridization 12 (10%). A total of 47 children had abnormal tests (40%): none, 72 (60%); one, 36 (30%); two, 8 (7%); three, (3%). Younger children with more developmental delays are more likely to have abnormal tests. They are clumsy, more passive, and less disobedience. They had lower total, externalizing, and internalizing problems scores. The odds of finding an abnormal investigation are increasingly greater as parent's report of language comprehension and social development ratios increase, and decrease in likelihood for every increase in the expressive language and fine motor ratios.
Interpretation:
Parent's reports predict abnormal tests and indicate quantifiable differences requiring investigation.
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