Growth and neuropsychological developmental correlates in children with autism and cerebral palsy - a pilot study

Cerebral palsy (CP) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are neurodevelopmental conditions that affect physical growth and developmental outcomes. While distinct, both can influence neuropsychological development, yet limited research has examined how growth indicators relate to developmental profiles in these groups. This pilot cross-sectional study examines the relationship between physical growth and neuropsychological development in children with CP and ASD, and compares their developmental characteristics.

This cross-sectional study included 27 children (CP: n=14; ASD: n=13). Anthropometric assessments included height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), BMI-for-age (BMIAZ), mid-upper arm circumference-for-age (MUACAZ), and skinfold thickness Z-scores (TSFAZ, SSFAZ). Neuropsychological development was measured using the Developmental Profile 3 (DP-3), covering physical, adaptive, cognitive, social-emotional, and communication domains.

Children with ASD had significantly higher scores in physical development (median: 83.5 vs. 54.0, p=0.006), adaptive behavior (81.0 vs. 53.0, p=0.003), and overall development (78.0 vs. 58.0, p=0.035) than those with CP. No differences were found in cognitive, social-emotional, or communication domains. In the full sample, WAZ significantly correlated with adaptive behavior (r=0.491, p=0.015) and overall development (r=0.439, p=0.032). MUACAZ and TSFAZ were also associated with specific developmental domains (e.g., MUACAZ and adaptive behavior: r=0.445, p=0.033). Linear regression analysis confirmed that WAZ significantly predicted neurodevelopmental scores (β=6.20, p=0.022), explaining 46.5% of the variance when adjusted for age, gender, and parental age (Adjusted R²=0.465; p=0.040).

Children with CP show greater growth and developmental delays than those with ASD. Weight-for-age is a key predictor of neurodevelopment, especially adaptive behavior. These findings support integrating nutritional and developmental care in neurodevelopmental interventions.