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Prevalence of developmental and behavioral disorders in a pediatric hospital

Mario Cesar Petersen1, David Arnold Kube, Toni M Whitaker

  • 1Child Development and Rehabilitation Center, Clinical Services Building, University of Oregon, 901 East 18th Ave, Eugene, OR 97403, USA. petersem@ohsu.edu

Pediatrics
|March 4, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Hospitalized children show a high prevalence of developmental and behavioral disorders, affecting over a third of those aged 6 months to 17 years. This highlights the need for early screening during hospital stays.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Developmental and behavioral disorders impact a significant number of children.
  • Early identification and intervention are crucial for improving outcomes.
  • Hospital settings present opportunities for developmental surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the prevalence of developmental and behavioral disorders in children admitted to an acute care pediatric hospital.
  • To test the hypothesis that hospitalized children have a higher prevalence of these disorders compared to the general population.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving interviews with primary caregivers of 325 hospitalized children (infancy to childhood).
  • Utilized screening tests: Child Development Inventory, Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status, Pediatric Symptom Checklist, and Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scale.
  • Classified children into categories: known disorder, suspected disorder, or no disorder.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of developmental and behavioral disorders was 33.5% in hospitalized children aged 6 months to 17 years.
  • Known disorders were present in 22.1% and suspected disorders in 11.4% of children.
  • High rates of cerebral palsy (6.1%) and developmental delay (8.6%) were noted.

Conclusions:

  • Hospitalization offers a critical opportunity for developmental surveillance.
  • The elevated prevalence underscores the importance of routine developmental screening for hospitalized children.
  • Systematic screening strategies for this population require further investigation.
Abstract

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