Parents' reports predict abnormal investigations in global developmental delay.
OBJECTIVE
To identify symptoms reported by parents that predict abnormal laboratory investigations in preschoolers with global developmental delay (GDD).


METHODS
A cross-sectional descriptive study of 81 boys and 38 girls, with a mean age of 43.5 months (SD = 13.4), with global developmental delay. All parents/guardians completed the following: (1) a semistructured interview about their child and family; (2) the Child Development Inventory (CDI); (3) the Possible Problems Checklist (PPC); and (4) the Child Behavior Checklist 1(1/2)-5 (CBCL).


RESULTS
There were 61 abnormal results: MRI 37 (31%); high-resolution chromosomes 8 (7%); fragile X molecular testing 4 (3%); and microarray comparative genomic hybridization 12 (10%). A total of 47 children had abnormal tests (40%): none, 72 (60%); one, 36 (30%); two, 8 (7%); three, (3%). Younger children with more developmental delays are more likely to have abnormal tests. They are clumsy, more passive, and less disobedience. They had lower total, externalizing, and internalizing problems scores. The odds of finding an abnormal investigation are increasingly greater as parent's report of language comprehension and social development ratios increase, and decrease in likelihood for every increase in the expressive language and fine motor ratios.


CONCLUSIONS
Parent's reports predict abnormal tests and indicate quantifiable differences requiring investigation.
Tervo
Raymond C
RC
Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101, USA. rtervo@gillettechildrens.com
Asis
Martin
M
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies