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Profiles of developmental disorder and associations with gestational age

Katherine Jane Pettinger1, Sarah Louise Blower2, Elaine M Boyle3

  • 1Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK katherinepettinger@gmail.com.

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|February 10, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Premature birth is linked to specific developmental disorder profiles in children. Early developmental impairment and educational difficulties were associated with earlier gestational ages, aiding in prompt diagnosis and family support.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric developmental disorders
  • Perinatal epidemiology
  • Child health outcomes

Background:

  • Developmental disorders encompass a range of conditions affecting children's development.
  • Understanding co-occurrence patterns is crucial for accurate diagnosis and intervention.
  • Gestational age is a known risk factor for various adverse child health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify distinct profiles of co-occurring developmental disorders in children.
  • To investigate the association between preterm birth and these developmental disorder profiles.
  • To inform targeted support and early intervention strategies for at-risk children.

Main Methods:

  • Latent class analysis was performed on linked health data from a large birth cohort.
  • 13,172 children were analyzed, with data censored at age 12.
  • Multinomial logistic regression assessed associations with gestational age, controlling for covariates.

Main Results:

  • Four developmental disorder profiles were identified: typical development, educational difficulties, social/emotional/behavioral/communication difficulties, and early developmental impairment with physical/intellectual disabilities.
  • Very preterm birth (<32 weeks) significantly increased the risk of early developmental impairment (aRRR: 9.22).
  • Birth before full term, including up to 37-38 weeks, was associated with increased risk of educational difficulties (aRRR: 1.41 at 37-38 weeks).

Conclusions:

  • Gestational age is a significant factor associated with specific profiles of developmental disorders.
  • Identifying these profiles can enhance diagnostic accuracy and family counseling.
  • Early identification of risk based on gestational age can facilitate timely interventions.
Abstract

Keywords:
Child DevelopmentEpidemiologyFollow-Up StudiesNeonatologyPaediatrics

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