Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Procedure for assessment of neurodevelopmental delay in young children: preliminary report
Insights
A new Primitive Reflex and Postural Adjustment Assessment procedure helps identify neurodevelopmental delay in children. This method distinguishes between typically developing, mentally impaired, and emotionally disturbed young children.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Child Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Neurodevelopmental delay in young children requires accurate assessment tools.
- Existing methods may not fully capture subtle delays related to primitive reflexes and postural control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate a novel assessment procedure for neurodevelopmental delay.
- To measure the presence of primitive reflex remnants and immature postural adjustments.
Main Methods:
- Development of the Primitive Reflex and Postural Adjustment Assessment (PRPAA) procedure.
- Application of PRPAA to assess young children.
Main Results:
- Preliminary findings indicate PRPAA can successfully identify degrees of neurodevelopmental delay.
- The PRPAA procedure differentiates between normal, mentally retarded, and emotionally disturbed children.
Conclusions:
- The PRPAA procedure shows promise in assessing neurodevelopmental delay.
- Further research is necessary to establish the validity and reliability of this assessment tool.
Abstract:
This report describes the development of a new procedure for assessing neurodevelopmental delay in young children. The Primitive Reflex and Postural Adjustment Assessment procedure is designed to measure degrees of occurrence of remnants of primitive reflexes and immature postural adjustment. Preliminary findings show that the Primitive Reflex and Postural Adjustment Assessment procedure can successfully identify degrees of neurodevelopmental delay in young children, and that the procedure differentiates normal children from mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed children. Additional work is needed to assess the validity and reliability of this procedure.
