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Evaluation of Neurodevelopmental Screening Test Scores in Children with Vitamin B12 Deficiency
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Tekirdağ, Turkey.
Insights
Vitamin B12 deficiency in young children is linked to developmental delays, even without other symptoms. Early detection and intervention are crucial for healthy neurodevelopment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with hematological and neurological issues.
- Neurodevelopmental delay is a potential consequence of Vitamin B12 deficiency in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of Vitamin B12 deficiency on the neurodevelopment of children aged 6-24 months.
- To assess the correlation between serum Vitamin B12 levels and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 89 children (6-24 months) divided into a study group (serum Vitamin B12 <300 pg/mL) and a control group (serum Vitamin B12 ≥300 pg/mL).
- Neurodevelopmental assessment using the Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DDST-II) and the Social Communication Area Screening Test (SCAST).
Main Results:
- The study group exhibited significantly higher rates of suspicious/abnormal DDST-II results (p=0.001) and "risky" SCAST results (p=0.003) compared to the control group.
- Lower Vitamin B12 levels were significantly associated with abnormal neurodevelopmental screening test results (DDST-II and SCAST, p=0.001 for both).
Conclusions:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause neurodevelopmental delay in children, even without overt neurological or hematological symptoms.
- Early screening for Vitamin B12 deficiency is important for preventing potential neurodevelopmental impairments in infants and young children.
Introduction:
Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to hematological findings, neurological symptoms, and neurodevelopmental delay. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of vitamin B12 deficiency on the neurodevelopment of children.
Materials And Methods:
This study included 89 children aged between 6 and 24 months without any complaints; 44 of these were evaluated in the study group (serum vitamin B12 <300 pg/mL) and 45 in the control group (serum vitamin B12 ≥300 pg/mL). Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DDST-II) and the Social Communication Area Screening Test (SCAST) were evaluated in each participant.
Results:
The mean vitamin B12 level in the study group was 206.11 ± 9.1 pg/mL, and in the control group, it was 540.65 ± 24.1 pg/mL. When DDST-II results were analyzed, the rate of getting suspicious and abnormal results in the study group was significantly higher compared with the control group (p = 0.001). The rate of the "risky" SCAST results of the cases was found to be statistically significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (p = 0.003). Vitamin B12 values of patients with suspicious or abnormal DDST-II results and with risky SCAST results were found to be statistically significantly lower than those with normal neurodevelopmental screening tests results (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion:
Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to neurodevelopmental delay in children, even in the absence of neurological and hematological symptoms or complaints, which highlights the importance of early detection and intervention of vitamin B12 deficiency.
