The ages and stages questionnaire and neurodevelopmental impairment in two-year-old preterm-born children

Kerstjens, Jorien M.; Nijhuis, Ard; Hulzebos, Christian V.; Mulder, Twan L.; et al.

doi:10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0133087

Title

The ages and stages questionnaire and neurodevelopmental impairment in two-year-old preterm-born children

Author

Kerstjens, Jorien M.

Nijhuis, Ard

Hulzebos, Christian V.

Mulder, Twan L.

et al.

Abstract

Objective To test the ability of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ3) to help identify or exclude neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in very preterm-born children at the corrected age of two. Methods We studied the test results of 224 children, born at <32 postmenstrual weeks, who had scores on ASQ3 and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSIDIII) and neurological examination at 2226 months corrected age. We defined NDI as a score of <70 on the cognitiveor motor composite scale of BSIDIII, or impairment on neurological examination or audiovisual screening. We compared NDI with abnormal ASQ3 scores, i.e., < -2SDs on any domain, and with ASQ3 total scores. To correct for possible overestimation of BSIDIII, we also analyzed the adjusted BSIDIII thresholds for NDI, i.e., scores <80 and <85. Results We found 61 (27%) children with abnormal ASQ3 scores, and 10 (4.5%) children who had NDI with original BSIDIII thresholds (<70). Twelve children had NDI at BSIDIII thresholds at <80, and 15 had <85. None of the 163 (73%) children who passed ASQ3 had NDI. The sensitivity of ASQ3 to detect NDI was excellent (100%), its specificity was acceptable (76%), and its negative predictive value (NPV) was 100%. Sensitivity and NPV remained high with the adjusted BSIDIII thresholds. Conclusion The Ages and Stages Questionnaire is a simple, valid and cost-effective screening tool to help identify and exclude NDI in very preterm-born children at the corrected age of two years.

Language

English

Source (journal)

PLoS ONE

Publication

2015

ISSN

1932-6203

DOI

10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0133087

Volume/pages

10 :7 (2015) , p. 1-14