Early Neurodevelopmental Assessments of Neonates Discharged From the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Physiatrist’s Perspective
Article information
Abstract
The survival rate of children admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after birth is on the increase; hence, proper evaluation and care of their neurodevelopment has become an important issue. Neurodevelopmental assessments of individual domains regarding motor, language, cognition, and sensory perception are crucial in planning prompt interventions for neonates requiring immediate support and rehabilitation treatment. These assessments are essential for identifying areas of weakness and designing targeted interventions to improve future functional outcomes and the quality of lives for both the infants and their families. However, initial stratification of risk to select those who are in danger of neurodevelopmental disorders is also important in terms of cost-effectiveness. Efficient and robust functional evaluations to recognize early signs of developmental disorders will help NICU graduates receive interventions and enhance functional capabilities if needed. Several age-dependent, domain-specific neurodevelopmental assessment tools are available; therefore, this review summarizes the characteristics of these tools and aims to develop multidimensional, standardized, and regular follow-up plans for NICU graduates in Korea.
INTRODUCTION
Recent advances in neonatal care have led to an increase in the survival rates of preterm infants or those with low birth weight in Korea [1]. The average birth weight is declining, and the incidence of preterm births is on the increase [1,2]. Because preterm or low birth weight infants are at high risk of developmental delays or disorders, early and regular assessments of neurodevelopmental outcomes of graduates of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) should continue immediately after discharge [3]. However, there is significant heterogeneity in the neurodevelopmental assessment follow-up policies in different countries [4]. A variety of development assessment tools are available for each domain and age range; however, a consensus gold standard is still lacking in terms of defining the best neurodevelopmental assessment and follow-up program for the early diagnosis of developmental delay [5,6].
Early identification of infants at high risk of developmental delays or disorders is critical for timely referral for appropriate intervention and family counseling. Proper surveillance of neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants is necessary due to the following: (1) early detection or diagnosis of developmental delay or neurodevelopmental disorders; (2) timely intervention and provision of individualized care within critical periods for better outcomes; (3) to educate family/caregivers regarding the developmental status, prognosis, and any possible problems or dangers of infants to prevent further deterioration; and (4) to improve functional outcomes of these infants and the well-being and quality of life of the entire family. Earlier involvement of parents in the care of babies with neurodevelopmental impairments before hospital discharge from the NICU is known to be effective in improving the parent-infant relationship, providing a nurturing environment, and targeting the intervention for individualized infant and family needs [7]. There should be sufficient parental education on useful and safe home exercises or play, information on proper feeding, positioning, sleep, and any available social services. In the future, these developmental interventions beyond the NICU should be updated with evidence-based intervention techniques for individual diagnoses.
Regular hospital visits for neurodevelopmental assessments after NICU discharge is widely acknowledged; however, there should be a systematic follow-up program for both appropriate diagnosis of neurodevelopmental delay and assessment of the efficacy of developmental interventions [5]. Developmental surveillance programs for NICU graduates should include all domains of neurological, motor, language, cognition, perception, and social skills. Moreover, this program should be encouraged to consider each child’s developmental status, caregiver’s socioeconomic status, individualized therapeutic program, healthcare resources, and social services or welfare [8,9]. This review summarizes the current evidence of available neurodevelopmental assessment tools for each domain and suggests appropriate Korean surveillance guidelines for NICU graduates.
I. EARLY NEURODEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENT PLAN
Developmental surveillance should consider appropriate timing and intervals in terms of cost-effectiveness and availability of healthcare resources. If NICU graduates have more severe risk factors, they would be at an even higher risk of various developmental problems [10-12]. Several risk factors that must be evaluated during NICU stay are summarized in Table 1 for clinicians not to delay neurodevelopmental evaluation for referral to the Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. According to the numbers and grades of risk factors (Table 1), a corrected age (CA) to visit for neurodevelopmental surveillance and follow-up periods are suggested in Fig. 1 [3,5,10,13,14].
Early developmental screening is recommended within less than 1 month after discharge if there is at least one high risk factor; any organic brain lesion, such as grade 3 or 4 intraventricular hemorrhage, cystic periventricular leukomalacia, infarction, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, neonatal meningitis or encephalitis, and congenital brain malformation, ventriculomegaly, etc.; any feeding disorders associated with malnutrition; neonatal sepsis; bronchopulmonary dysplasia with mechanical ventilation until gestational age of 36 weeks; hyperbilirubinemia; any congenital or neuromuscular disorder, confirmed with gene study; extremely preterm (<28 weeks); extremely low birth weight (<1,000 g); high social risk such as any domestic violence or child abuse, severe poverty or homelessness, no antenatal care provided, caregivers’ intellectual disability or psychological problems; any tone abnormality of hyper/hypotonia or fluctuating tones are observed; or a history of infantile spasm or status epilepticus (Table 1). If any neurodevelopmental delay is suspected at the initial immediate follow-up, next follow-up visits or further evaluations should be determined at the physician’s discretion according to the individual infant’s medical and neurological conditions. Otherwise, later visits can be scheduled as routine follow-ups for low-risk NICU graduates. Furthermore, an immediate intervention plan and/or education can be suggested for those with high-risk factors while still in hospital, rather than waiting for a confirmative diagnosis of developmental impairments [3].
Afterwards, moderate risk factors should be screened: very preterm (28–32 weeks) or very low birth weight (1,000–1,500 g) neonates; multiple pregnancies more than twins or discordant twins who show significantly different birth weight between twins; diagnosis of sensory abnormality, such as hearing or visual impairment, and severe retinopathy of prematurity; small for gestational age, that is, birth weight less than 10th percentile for gestational age; major perinatal surgery in the brain, heart, thorax, or abdomen including necrotizing enterocolitis operation; moderate to late preterm (32–37 weeks) or low birth weight (1,500–2,500 g) with any clinical perinatal event like epilepsy or feeding problems (Table 1). If two or more moderate risk factors are present, NICU graduates are required to be followed-up for neurodevelopmental screening within less than 1 month after discharge, similar to the existence of one high-risk factor. On the other hand, if there is only 0–1 moderate risk factor, it is recommended that NICU graduates should have regular checkups at a CA of 3–4 months for the first visit. Thereafter, further follow-up visits for neurodevelopmental assessment are recommended at CA of 8–9 months, 12–18 months, 24 months, and 36 months (Fig. 1).
However, the follow-up schedule should be refined by clinicians based on the functional and/or medical status of each infant. For example, if any special diagnosis is made, such as genetic or neurodegenerative diseases, the follow-up schedule should be individualized through experts’ and multidisciplinary care plans. Although the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) is an extensive formal developmental assessment tool for diagnosing developmental delays in early childhood for 1 to 42 months old babies (Table 2), it cannot predict long-term outcomes of development, especially when assessed at a young age such as before CA of 24 months old [13,15]. For those still undiagnosed with extremely preterm birth (<28 weeks) or extremely low birth weight (<1,000 g), BSID is strongly recommended at a CA of 36 months. Likewise, individual decision-making regarding which and when each neurodevelopmental assessment tool to choose would enrich better clinical practice and more accurate assessments.
II. OVERVIEW OF NEURODEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Currently available neurodevelopmental assessment tools are extremely varied at each age band. A regular neurodevelopmental follow-up program should include all developmental domains for more accurate surveillance and diagnosis, including motor, sensory perception, cognition, and language. Irrespective of how comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessment tools are employed, they are often insufficient, and clinicians should decide on additional specialized diagnostic tools for specific domains regarding individual functional status. Based on a comprehensive history taking and physical/neurological examination, including growth, primitive reflexes, postural reactions, developmental history, social/family history, and musculoskeletal evaluation, experienced clinicians should be able to decide any necessary further evaluations, including blood tests, genetic studies, or imaging modalities [5].
Categorical neurodevelopment assessment tools are summarized and compared in detail in Table 2. Each assessment tool is characterized by its target age range, test type characteristic about whether it is norm-referenced based on standard score or criterion-referenced, suggesting a clear-cut cut-off score for diagnosis, evaluation of components within domains, diagnostic criteria, average time to administer, and immediate availability of the Korean-translated version and/or education for evaluators. Among them, the Denver Development Screening Tool (DDST), BSID, Korean-Developmental Screening Test (K-DST), Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS), Korean-Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-IV, and Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-6 (VMI-6) are currently covered by National Insurance in Korea.
Furthermore, currently accumulated evidence on predictive accuracy regarding the reliability, internal consistency, and validity of each development assessment tool is searched and gathered in the Supplementary Tables S1-S4 to help healthcare professionals make a more convenient decision. Reliability is the extent to which patients can be distinguished from normal despite measurement errors and is evaluated through inter-/intra-rater intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) or Cohen’s weighted kappa values. It is “+” if ICC or kappa ≥0.70, “–” for <0.70, and “0” if no available information is found for reliability. Internal consistency is the extent to which items within a domain are inter-correlated to measure the same construct; it is “+” if factor analysis was provided with adequate sample size and Cronbach’s alpha values are ≥0.70, “–” if Cronbach’s alpha <0.70, and “0” if no available information was found for consistency. Content validity is the comprehensiveness of items in the assessment tools for the domain of interest: “+” if a clear description about the measurement aim, target population, and item selection while target population and evaluators or experts were involved in this item selection, “–” if target population or experts did not involve item selections, “0” if no information was found, and “?” if the description of these aspects is lacking. Criterion validity is the extent to which the test scores are related to a gold standard, and is demonstrated through the correlation coefficient: “+” if coefficient ≥0.70, “–” if <0.70, and “0” if no information is suggested. Construct validity is the extent to which scores on a specific domain measure the intended theoretical construct or concept. It is assessed as “+” if specific hypotheses were formulated and ≥75% of the results are in accordance, “–” if <75% of hypotheses were confirmed, “0” if no information was available, and “?” only if doubtful hypotheses or method exists [16].
Developmental delay screening
Screening tools are often used prior to an accurate diagnosis of developmental delay. A literature search for proper developmental delay screening tools, revealed that K-DST [17], and Korean-Ages and Stages Questionnaires (K-ASQ) [18,19] are available in Korean versions. The first screening is usually performed with DDST-II, inclusive of the gross motor, fine motor-adaptive, language, and personal-social domains [20]. “Delay” is indicated if a child fails an item that more than 90% of children of the same chronological age were able to do, and “caution” is indicated if a child fails an item that 75%–90% of children of the same chronological age were able to do. Developmental delay was suspected if there were two or more cautions and/or one or more delays. This criterion-based test showed a high inter-observer and test-retest reliability and sensitivity of 0.83 and specificity of 0.51, respectively [21,22]. If a developmental disorder is suspected from DDST-II, a more thorough, discriminative evaluation of BSID is usually recommended to follow as a diagnostic assessment, which is norm-based test to evaluate gross motor, fine motor, cognition, communication, social/emotional, and adaptive domains, which can suggest a high risk of developmental delay if below 2 standard deviation (<25 percentile) [23,24]. BSID is popularly used to diagnose developmental delay in terms of which domain shows a problem and how much delay is presented in terms of percentiles [18,25]. In particular, BSID at the age of 2 years is known to predict motor impairment at the age of 4 years old [10,26].
Motor function
Standardized neuromotor assessment tools are intended to discriminate or identify any abnormalities in antigravity and/or spontaneous movements elicited by infant motor patterns, reflexes, or muscle tone [27]. In contrast, most neurobehavioral assessment tools assume that the emergence of motor skills follows the same sequence as rolling, sitting, crawling, and walking and evaluate social/attentional and autonomic responses of infants according to gestational age. Although the Hammersmith Infant Neurologic Examination (HINE) evaluates both neurological and neurobehavioral domains, only a neurological domain of cranial nerve function, posture, voluntary movement, tone, and reflexes/reactions are scored to describe the risk of cerebral palsy (CP). Also, the Movement Assessment of Infants (MAI), PDMS for infant (from 2 weeks to 11 months CA), and Neurosensory Motor Developmental Assessment (NSMDA) evaluate both domains; scoring primitive reflexes, postural reactions, and muscle tone for neuromotor assessment as well as checking gross and fine motor development through observing elicited or volitional movements for neurobehavioral assessment.
The general movements (GMs), HINE, and Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) are the most popular neurodevelopmental assessment tools that are recommended for the early diagnosis of CP before 5 months’ CA, together with brain imaging evaluations [14]. As well as considering risk factors (Table 1), early detection of CP or other developmental disorders can be achieved with using a combination of several standardized motor assessment tools and proper neuroimaging [14]. In infants with later infancy after 5 months’ CA, additional to HINE, the physical development domain of Developmental Assessment of Young Children, Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), and NSMDA are also recommended in combination as known to be predictive in the diagnosis of motor impairments, especially when brain magnetic resonance imaging is neither affordable nor available due to safety conditions [14,28].
During the earliest age, GM is useful and “fidgety” movement during CA between 3 and 4 months of age has been shown to have the best predictive validity of motor impairments [29,30]. Both GM and TIMP showed the strongest psychometric properties and predictive validity to better anticipate future motor outcomes and evaluate the effect of interventions [27]. On the other hand, HINE focuses more on neurologic impairment than on current motor function to propose a cutoff score in each age range to discriminate the risks of permanent motor impairment [31,32]. PDMS and AIMS have strong discriminative validity because they have a norm-referenced value from sufficiently large populations [33,34]. MAI is strong at an earlier age (younger than 4 months), such as GM and TIMP, while AIMS and NSMDA are generally for older ages (8–12-month-old) [35].
Various assessment tools exist specifically for each age band and subtest domain for NICU graduates to detect subtle changes in motor development for stratification of the severity of motor impairments and evaluation of the effect of treatment. Therefore, a uniform use of comprehensive motor assessment tools for sequential follow-up with a large population would be helpful in clarifying how NICU graduates follow and catch up on motor development milestones. Unfortunately, only PDMS is available in the formerly Korean-translated version; however, most other tools are already in common use with the English version. Although motor development is assumed to be similar in different countries, the new population displays different norms for each assessment tool [36]. Professionals involved in motor surveillance should also remember cultural effects on motor milestones and context-specific test results.
Language and cognitive function
If the language scale from the BSID results is suggestive of language function impairments, standardized language assessment batteries usually follow. New language assessment tools using the Korean language should be developed to evaluate communication skills. For comprehensive language evaluation, the Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale (PRES) and the Sequenced Language Scale for Infants (SELSI) are the most popular and widely used tools with 56 questions on SELSI and 45 questions in PRES for receptive and expressive language, respectively [37]. The Paradise-Fluency Assessment (P-FA) assesses fluency using a picture representing words, sentences or speaking, and repetition task [38]; and Korean-MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (K-M-B CDI) utilizes parent-report questionnaires about a vocabulary checklist to evaluate communication skills [39]. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) and the Receptive Expressive Vocabulary Test (REVT) are tools for assessing vocabulary capacity. Although different target age ranges are suggested for each assessment tool, a combination of several tools is usually recommended owing to the different test domains and scoring methods (Table 2) [37].
These language assessment tools use structured question orders, since more difficult questions for older children appear later than easier questions. Therefore, a norm-based interpretation can be used based on score distributions according to each age band, usually at 2–3-month intervals, with mean values and standard deviations. Then, the result can report the raw scores of each domain, which can be calculated as equivalent age and percentile. Picture consonant articulation test (PCAT) is only a criterion-based test that calculates percentage of correctly pronounced consonants (% accuracy). It uses an object containing the phoneme to be tested or a corresponding picture, and asks children to speak the word to evaluate the accuracy of articulation and to determine any disability or articulation based on the age at which certain consonants are acquired [40].
In Table 2, the time to administer and the availability of Korean versions/education are empty for language assessment tools. The time taken for language assessments varies considerably according to individual cooperation or cognitive level, medical status, and environment. It is difficult to accurately estimate the time required; however, 30–60 minutes are usually allocated as the evaluation time. Education for language assessment is unavailable to common users because speech and language pathologists with professional training, degrees, and national certification oversee every language assessment and treatment in Korea. Therefore, essential personnel preparation must first be established for follow-up language assessments.
As an initial screening tool for cognition, the cognitive scale from the BSID is useful for the age range of up to 42 months. The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) is the most popular assessment tool for evaluating cognition. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) is for higher age, although some overlapping age bands exist around 6 to 7 years [41]. When interpreting the different results of each evaluation tool around this age, clinicians should remember that the two tests can produce a different cognitive profile, and WISC could result in lower scores on the subtest of vocabulary, matrix reasoning, and bug/symbol search compared to WPPSI [41].
Sensory-perception function
Sensory perception is important in early development, especially during critical periods of neuroplasticity and refinement [42]. Because most early interventions focus on an enriching environment for this neuroplasticity, the existence of sensory deprivation is a huge barrier for NICU graduates to catch up on developmental milestones after discharge. Most NICU graduates suffer from visual perception, visual-motor integration, and coordination impairments that affect later learning disabilities and school activities [43]. Therefore, appropriate sensory perception function assessments must be combined with regular developmental follow-up programs.
For visual sense assessment tools, the neonatal visual assessment is for the earliest age from 35 weeks to 1 year of age, which is appropriate for use during NICU stay [44]. Preverbal Visual Assessment (PreViAs), a simple questionnaire of 30 items, is for 0–24 months old babies [44,45], while the VMI-6, a nonverbal test using figure and shapes, culture-free, standardized easy tool, is for 2–90 years old including adults, which can provide a result of equivalent age for visual motor coordination function [46]. The Sensory Processing Measure-Preschool (SPM-P) is for preschool age of 2–5 years old and assesses how the child is processing sensory stimuli and how the sensory needs are reacting to different environments. The social participation measure is unique in the SPM-P and can evaluate over/under-responsiveness to sensory stimuli [47]. Sensory Profile 2 is a recently updated version of Sensory Profile 1 for infant (0–6 months), toddler (7–35 months), and child (3–14 years old). This tool requests for caregiver observations or judgment about sensory processing patterns and impact on functional performance, giving the score for each quadrant of searching, avoiding, sensitivity, and registration [48,49]. The Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI) tests five domains: tactile deep pressure, visual tactile integration, vestibular functions, ocular motor control, and reactivity to vestibular stimulation [50,51]. A stronger understanding of how children’s sensory processing patterns can impact daily function, participation, and daily activities is needed to plan further interventions.
CONCLUSION
This guideline summarizes neurodevelopmental surveillance methods for patients who have been cared for and discharged from the NICU until the age of approximately 3 years. This is based on risk factor stratification and currently available assessment tools for each development domain. This surveillance program aims to enable early diagnosis and timely intervention for people with developmental disorders to support their functions and quality of life. Although there is still a lack of evidence-based early treatment guidelines for NICU graduates, this standardized post-discharge neuromotor development surveillance program would lead to a more concrete database for identifying those who need early rehabilitation interventions in the future.
Notes
Jeong-Yi Kwon, Bo Young Hong, and Jin A Yoon are the editorial board members of Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine. The authors did not engage in any part of the review and decision-making process for this manuscript. Otherwise, no potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
Conceptualization: Kwon BS, Kwon JY. Methodology: all authors. Formal analysis: all authors. Funding acquisition: Kwon BS. Project administration: Kwon JY, Hyun SE. Visualization: all authors. Writing – original draft: Hyun SE, Kwon JY, Kwon BS, Hong BY, Yoon JA, Choi JY, Hong J. Writing – review and editing: all authors. Approval of final manuscript: all authors.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Korean Society of Pediatric Rehabilitation and Developmental Medicine.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Supplementary materials can be found via https://doi.org/10.5535/arm.23038.
Summary of current evidence of neurodevelopmental assessment tool