Dr Lourdes Mary Daniel
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore
Title: Prospective evaluation of the ages and stages questionnaire 3rd edition in very-lowbirthweight infants
Biography
Biography: Dr Lourdes Mary Daniel
Abstract
Aim: To evaluate the predictive and concurrent diagnostic agreement of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd Edition (ASQ-3) with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd Edition (Bayley-III) in infants born preterm and very-low-birthweight (PT/VLBW; ≤1250g).
Method: We evaluated 141 PT/VLBW infants (68 males, 73 females) born at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital between January 2010 and December 2011, to determine predictive and concurrent diagnostic agreement between the ASQ-3 at 9, 12, 18, and 24 months corrected age and Bayley-III at 24 months. Cut-offs on the ASQ-3 at 24 months were estimated by receiver operating characteristic curves.
Results: Sixty (43%) and 25 (18%) failed in any domain of the ASQ-3 and Bayley-III (<70) respectively. A negative predictive value (NPV) >98% was achieved for the motor domain from 9 months, and >90% for the communication domain and the overall results at 24 months. Optimal referral ASQ-3 score at 24 months to achieve 100% NPV was 243.
Interpretation: In PT/VLBW infants, ASQ-3 screening at 24 months can reduce the need for costly psychometric assessments in children with normal results. Clinicians can be assured of normal motor development at 9 months using the ASQ-3, but should continue to screen children on other domains.