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Published on: July 22, 2012
Rotavirus Hospitalization in Early Childhood: Fine Motor Skills and Cognition at 6 Years Old in a Population-Based
Eun Kyo Ha1, Ju Hee Kim2, Boeun Han3
1Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Infant rotavirus hospitalization may be linked to developmental delays. Children hospitalized with rotavirus showed higher odds of suspected fine motor and cognitive delays by age six.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Rotavirus infection is a common cause of severe gastroenteritis in children.
- Neurological complications associated with rotavirus are recognized, but its neurodevelopmental impact is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between rotavirus hospitalization in infancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes at age six.
- To assess potential delays in fine motor skills, cognition, and other developmental domains.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 1,420,941 Korean children born between 2009-2011 from the Korean National Health Insurance System.
- Employed propensity score-based inverse probability weighting to analyze outcomes in 5,451 children with rotavirus hospitalization versus 310,874 unexposed children.
- Assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes at age six using the Korean Developmental Test, controlling for multiple covariates.
Main Results:
- Children with a history of rotavirus hospitalization exhibited significantly higher odds of suspected delays in fine motor skills.
- A heightened association was also observed for suspected cognitive delays in children previously hospitalized for rotavirus.
- The study controlled for various factors including birth weight, infant feeding, and socioeconomic status.
Conclusions:
- Infant rotavirus hospitalization is associated with an increased risk of suspected fine motor and cognitive developmental delays by age six.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering neurodevelopmental surveillance in children following rotavirus infection.
- Further research may elucidate the mechanisms underlying rotavirus-associated neurodevelopmental impacts.
Abstract:
Rotavirus is linked to severe childhood gastroenteritis and neurological complications, but its impact on neurodevelopment remains uncertain. We examined data from 1 420 941 Korean children born between 2009 and 2011, using the Korean National Health Insurance System. We assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes at age 6 years using the validated Korean Developmental Test, covering 6 major domains, with propensity score-based inverse probability weighting including consideration of covariates sex, birth weight, changes in body weight from birth to 4-6 months of age, head circumference at 4-6 months of age, residence at birth, economic status, infant feeding types, and birth year. The main analysis that encompassed 5451 children with rotavirus hospitalization and 310 874 unexposed individuals revealed heightened odds of suspected delays in fine motor skills and cognition among exposed children. Our results suggest an association between rotavirus-related hospitalization in infancy and suspected delays in fine motor function and cognition in 6 year olds.
