title: Neurodevelopment in preschool idiopathic toe-walkers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Idiopathic toe walking, a differential diagnosis for neurological and orthopaedic disorders, has been associated with neurodevelopmental alterations. Neurodevelopmental assessment at early ages using specific tests may improve management and follow-up of these patients. The aim of our study is to analyse the neurodevelopmental characteristics of preschool idiopathic toe-walkers (ITW) by comparing them to a control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our descriptive cross-sectional study compared possible risk factors, neurodevelopmental characteristics, and scores on the Child Neuropsychological Maturity Questionnaire (CUMANIN) between a group of 56 ITWs aged 3 to 6 and a control group including 40 children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of males was significantly higher in the ITW group (P=.008). The percentage of patients with a family history (P=.000) and biological risk factors during the perinatal period (P=.032) was also higher in this group. According to the parents' reports, motor coordination in ITWs was significantly poorer (59%; P=.009). ITWs scored significantly lower on CUMANIN subscales of psychomotricity (=0,001) and memory (P=.001), as well as in verbal development (P=.000), non-verbal development (P=.026), and overall development (P=.004). Foot preference was less marked in the ITW group (P=.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The neurodevelopmental characteristics of our sample suggest that idiopathic toe walking is a marker of neurodevelopmental impairment. However, further studies are necessary to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Hidrología Médica, Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España. Electronic address: pmcasas@enf.ucm.es.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martín-Casas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Hidrología Médica, Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ballestero-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Enfermería de la Cruz Roja, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meneses-Monroy
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermería. Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Beneit-Montesinos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Hidrología Médica, Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Atín-Arratibel
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Portellano-Pérez
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D065886:Neurodevelopmental Disorders; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D014034:Toes / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking
keywords: Andadores de puntillas; Assessment; Desarrollo neuromadurativo; Detección precoz; Early detection; Marcha de puntillas; Neurodevelopment; Preescolares; Preschoolers; Toe gait; Toe-walkers; Valoración