Early standard development assessment characteristics in very low birth weight infants later classified with autism spectrum disorder.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms is high among very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs). Early diagnosis of ASD is crucial, because early intervention for ASD is effective.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate early standard development assessment characteristics in VLBWIs later classified with ASD.


METHODS
Thirty-five VLBWIs later diagnosed with ASD were compared with 169 children with typical development who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Nagano Children's Hospital between 2001 and 2005. We retrospectively evaluated developmental quotient (DQ) using the Kyoto Scale of Psychological Development (KSPD) at 6 and 18months post-term age (PTA) and 3year chronological age.


RESULTS
KSPD DQ was significantly lower in ASD infants than in typical development infants at all ages. Postural-motor DQs of ASD infants at 18months PTA and 3year chronological age showed some increase compared to that at 6months PTA.


CONCLUSIONS
Early recognition of ASD using standardized development assessment tools in VLBWIs might be possible.
Department of Rehabilitation, Nagano Children's Hospital, Nagano, Japan.
Hideki
H
Kihara
Division of Neonatology, Nagano Children's Hospital, Nagano, Japan. Electronic address: tnakamura@naganoch.gr.jp.
Tomohiko
T
Nakamura
D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007564:Japan; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
ASD; Screening; VLBWI