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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

[Neurological symptoms and etiology of severely retarded children]

H Suzuki1

  • 1Division of Child Neurology, National Center Hospital for Mental, Nervous and Muscular Disorders, Tokyo.

No to Hattatsu = Brain and Development
|November 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Severe intellectual disability in children aged 6-14 is often linked to congenital causes. A significant portion of these cases stem from preventable conditions like perinatal anoxia and meningitis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Intellectual disability (ID) is a complex developmental condition affecting cognitive and adaptive functioning.
  • Cerebral palsy, a common co-occurring condition, presents with motor impairments.
  • Understanding the etiological factors and timing of onset is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the causes and types of severe intellectual disability in children within a specific community.
  • To analyze the distribution of etiological factors (congenital, perinatal, postnatal).
  • To compare current findings with previous epidemiological reports on intellectual disability.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study identifying 43 patients aged 6-14 with severe intellectual disability.
  • Clinical assessment of motor function, categorizing types of cerebral palsy (spastic tetraplegia, diplegia, dyskinetic).
  • Retrospective analysis of etiological factors based on patient history and medical records.

Main Results:

  • Spastic tetraplegia was the most prevalent motor impairment (23/43 patients).
  • Congenital causes accounted for the majority of cases (25/43), followed by postnatal (12/43) and perinatal (6/43) factors.
  • A shift towards congenital causes and away from perinatal causes was observed compared to prior studies.

Conclusions:

  • Congenital factors are increasingly dominant in severe intellectual disability.
  • A substantial proportion of cases are linked to preventable conditions, highlighting the need for improved prenatal and perinatal care.
  • Public health initiatives targeting preventable causes like anoxia, meningitis, and vitamin K deficiency are essential.

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