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Infant Motor Delay and Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations in Japan
Yuhei Hatakenaka1, Haruko Kotani1, Kahoko Yasumitsu-Lovell2
1Kochi Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Kochi, Japan; Kochi Prefectural Medical and Welfare Centre, Kochi, Japan.
Insights
Motor delay in children under two often indicates Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE). Early assessment is crucial for timely diagnosis and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Background:
- Early motor development abnormalities are noted in various neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Limited research exists on clinically representative cohorts presenting with motor delay before age two.
- Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE) encompass a range of developmental disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if early motor delay is an indicator of ESSENCE in young children.
- To assess the diagnostic yield of motor delay in identifying neurodevelopmental disorders.
- To determine the prevalence of ESSENCE in children evaluated for motor delays.
Main Methods:
- A prospective clinical cohort study was conducted.
- The study included a one-year cohort of children under two years old presenting with delayed or abnormal gross motor development.
- Children were followed up to assess for ESSENCE diagnoses.
Main Results:
- 93% of the 30 children studied received diagnoses within the ESSENCE umbrella.
- Among children with identified or suspected etiology, 87% had ESSENCE disorders.
- All children without a known etiology were found to have ESSENCE disorders or symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The majority of young children with motor delay meet criteria for ESSENCE disorders.
- Motor problems in early childhood warrant comprehensive clinical assessment beyond motor function.
- Systematic follow-up is essential for children presenting with early motor delays.
Background:
Abnormalities of early motor development have been reported in autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual developmental disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and other Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE). However, few studies have been conducted with a view to following up a clinically representative cohort of children coming for assessment of motor delay before age two years. We performed a prospective clinical cohort study to examine whether or not early motor delay is often an indication of ESSENCE.
Methods:
The sample comprised a one-year cohort of all children who came to a Japanese neurodevelopmental center before their second birthday because of delayed or abnormal gross motor development. The children were followed up from the ESSENCE viewpoint.
Results:
Of the 30 children, 28 (18 boys and 10 girls) (93%) were given diagnoses subsumed under the ESSENCE umbrella. Of the 15 children with an identified or strongly suspected etiology, 13 (8 boys and 5 girls) (87%) had ESSENCE disorders or symptoms. Of the 15 children without a known etiology, all had ESSENCE disorders or symptoms.
Conclusion:
This study indicated that the vast majority of children with motor delay or abnormality in the first two years of life meet criteria for a disorder within the group of ESSENCE at follow-up; this means that young children, presenting with motor problems always need a broad clinical assessment, not just related to motor function, and systematic follow-up.
