The Validity of the Bayley-III and DDST-II in Preterm Infants With Neurodevelopmental Impairment: A Pilot Study

Seong Uk Jeong1, Ghi Chan Kim1, Ho Joong Jeong1

  • 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Insights

Modified criteria for the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition (Bayley-III) and Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DDST-II) improved detection of neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm infants. The tests showed higher detection rates, especially after 12 months corrected age.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neonatology

Background:

  • Preterm infants are at high risk for neurodevelopmental impairment.
  • Early detection and intervention are crucial for improving outcomes in these infants.
  • Standardized developmental screening tools are essential for identifying potential issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the diagnostic utility of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition (Bayley-III) and the Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DDST-II) in preterm infants.
  • To determine the optimal criteria for detecting neurodevelopmental impairment using these tools in a preterm population.
  • To assess the impact of modified scoring criteria on the detection rates of neurodevelopmental impairment.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical charts for 69 preterm infants.
  • Analysis of Bayley-III and DDST-II results.
  • Modulation of scaled scores for Bayley-III and caution criteria for DDST-II to assess detection rates.
  • Verification of detection rates across corrected age groups using conventional and modified criteria.

Main Results:

  • Conventional criteria identified 22 infants via Bayley-III and 35 via DDST-II as having neurodevelopmental impairment.
  • Modified criteria increased detection rates for both tools; DDST-II detection rose from 50% to 68.6%.
  • Highest detection rates were observed after 12 months corrected age, reaching 100% for DDST-II with modified criteria.

Conclusions:

  • Accurate neurologic examination remains paramount for identifying neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm infants.
  • Further research is recommended to refine and validate modified detection criteria for Bayley-III and DDST-II in preterm populations.
  • Optimized screening criteria can enhance the early identification of neurodevelopmental challenges in high-risk preterm infants.
Abstract

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