Diagnosis and Clinical Features in Children Referred to Developmental Delay Clinic

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the phenomenologic, etiologic diagnosis and clinical features of children with developmental delay. METHOD: One hundred seventy-one children, referred to Developmental Delay Clinic which was multidisciplinary clinic for the evaluation of a suspected developmental delay, were prospectively enrolled. Diagnostic yield was ascertained after the completion of the questionnaire, clinical assessments and laboratory investigations by the physiatrist, pediatric neurologist and pediatric psychiatrist. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-one children met study criteria. The common phenomenologic diagnoses of children with developmental delay were mental retardation, delayed language disorder, autism and cerebral palsy. The etiologic diagnosis was determined in 44 (28.02%) children. The diagnoses were hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, malformation of cortical development, dysmorphic syndrome, chromosomal abnormalities, and neuomuscular disorders in the order of frequency. In many cases, the chief complaint of parent was not in accordance with final diagnosis. CONCLUSION: In the clinical assessment and management of children with developmental delay, the most important thing is integrative and comprehensive approach including all the developmental territories. And also, the settlement of paradigm for systematic evaluation of these children with other specialists will be needed.