Neurodevelopment in preschool idiopathic toe-walkers

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a condition often considered alongside neurological and orthopedic disorders.
• Early neurodevelopmental assessment is crucial for managing ITW patients.
• ITW has been associated with underlying neurodevelopmental alterations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neurodevelopmental characteristics of preschool-aged children with idiopathic toe walking.
• To compare the neurodevelopmental profiles of ITW children with a control group.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 56 idiopathic toe-walkers (aged 3-6) and 40 controls.
• Neurodevelopmental assessment using the Child Neuropsychological Maturity Questionnaire (CUMANIN).
• Comparison of risk factors, neurodevelopmental characteristics, and CUMANIN scores between groups.

Main Results:

• Higher proportion of males and increased family/perinatal risk factors in the ITW group.
• ITW children exhibited poorer motor coordination and significantly lower CUMANIN scores in psychomotricity, memory, verbal, and non-verbal development.
• Less pronounced foot preference was observed in ITW children.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest idiopathic toe walking may serve as a marker for neurodevelopmental impairment.
• Further research is warranted to validate these neurodevelopmental associations in ITW.