Characteristics of neuropsychological development in infants with different types of morphological cranial malformation / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo compare the neuropsychological development of infants with different types of morphologic cranial deformities. MethodsA total of 954 children aged 0 to 18 months who came to Beijing Children's Hospital from January, 2020 to August, 2021 for cranial measurement and neuropsychological development measurement were selected. They were divided into brachycephaly group, plagiocephaly group, asymmetric brachycephaly group, scaphocephaly group and normal group according to the cranial measurement. The development quotient (DQ) was calculated from Children Neuropsychological Development Scale (0-6). ResultsThere were 449 cases in the normal group, 94 cases in the brachycephaly group, 201 cases in the plagiocephaly group, 82 cases in the asymmetric brachycephaly group and 128 cases in the scaphocephaly group. The detection rate of Developmental Edge and Delay (DQ < 85) for gross motor area was the most in brachycephaly group (60.6%), and it was the most for fine motor (64.6%), language (45.1%), adaption (51.2%) and social behavior areas (48.8%) in the asymmetrical brachycephaly group. The DQ was different among the five groups for all the areas except the language area (F > 14.835, P < 0.001); compared with the normal group, DQ decreased for all the four areas in all the groups except the scaphocephaly group; DQ of the areas of gross motor, fine motor and adaption was more in the plagiocephaly group than in the asymmetric brachycephaly group (P < 0.05), while DQ of the areas of gross motor and fine motor was more in the plagiocephaly group than in the brachycephaly group (P < 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that, DQ negative linear correlated with the cephalic ratio and cranial vault asymmetry index (|B| > 0.967, P < 0.05). ConclusionAmong four kinds of cranial malformation in infants, the neuropsychological development of the scaphocephaly group is almost normal, and somehow delays for brachycephaly, plagiocephaly and asymmetric brachycephaly, especially in the aspects of gross motor, fine motor, adaption and social behavior. The more serious the cranial deformity, the greater the risk of developmental delay in each functional area.