title: Infant Motor Delay and Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations in Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abnormalities of early motor development have been reported in autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual developmental disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and other Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE). However, few studies have been conducted with a view to following up a clinically representative cohort of children coming for assessment of motor delay before age two years. We performed a prospective clinical cohort study to examine whether or not early motor delay is often an indication of ESSENCE.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised a one-year cohort of all children who came to a Japanese neurodevelopmental center before their second birthday because of delayed or abnormal gross motor development. The children were followed up from the ESSENCE viewpoint.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 30 children, 28 (18 boys and 10 girls) (93%) were given diagnoses subsumed under the ESSENCE umbrella. Of the 15 children with an identified or strongly suspected etiology, 13 (8 boys and 5 girls) (87%) had ESSENCE disorders or symptoms. Of the 15 children without a known etiology, all had ESSENCE disorders or symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicated that the vast majority of children with motor delay or abnormality in the first two years of life meet criteria for a disorder within the group of ESSENCE at follow-up; this means that young children, presenting with motor problems always need a broad clinical assessment, not just related to motor function, and systematic follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Kochi Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Kochi, Japan; Kochi Prefectural Medical and Welfare Centre, Kochi, Japan. Electronic address: yuuhei_hatakenaka@ken3.pref.kochi.lg.jp.
authors.forename: Yuhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hatakenaka
authors.affiliation: Kochi Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Kochi, Japan; Kochi Prefectural Medical and Welfare Centre, Kochi, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kotani
authors.affiliation: Kochi Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Kochi, Japan; Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kahoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasumitsu-Lovell
authors.affiliation: Kochi Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Kochi, Japan; Kochi University Faculty of Education, Kochi, Japan.
authors.forename: Keita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernell
authors.affiliation: Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gillberg
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D000068079:Motor Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D065886:Neurodevelopmental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome
keywords: ESSENCE; autism; cerebral palsy; intellectual disability; motor abnormalities; motor delay; young children