Prediction of school-age IQ, academic achievement, and motor skills in children with positional plagiocephaly

Erin R Wallace; Cindy Ola; Brian G Leroux; Matthew L Speltz; Brent R Collett

doi:10.1093/pch/pxaa012

Prediction of school-age IQ, academic achievement, and motor skills in children with positional plagiocephaly

Paediatr Child Health. 2020 Apr 17;26(3):e132-e137. doi: 10.1093/pch/pxaa012. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Authors

Erin R Wallace¹, Cindy Ola¹, Brian G Leroux², Matthew L Speltz^{1

3}, Brent R Collett^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA.
² Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington School of Dentistry, Seattle, Washington, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Children with positional plagiocephaly and/or brachycephaly (PPB) are at risk of early developmental delay, but little is known about early life factors associated with school-age neurodevelopment. This study examined associations of demographic characteristics, prenatal risk factors and early neurodevelopment assessment with school-age IQ, academic performance, and motor development in children with PPB.

Methods: The study sample consisted of 235 school-age children with PPB followed since infancy. Outcome measures included IQ using the Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition, academic achievement as measured by the Wechsler Individualized Achievement Tests-Third Edition), and motor function using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition. Linear regression was used to examine the incremental improvement of model fit of demographics, prenatal and early life characteristics, severity of PPB, and neurodevelopment at ages 7, 18, and 36 months as measured by the Bayley-3 on school-age scores.

Results: Mean age at school-age assessment was 9.0 years. Adjusted r² for demographic, prenatal, and early life risk factors ranged from 0.10 to 0.22. Addition of PPB severity and Bayley-3 measures at ages 7 and 18 months did not meaningfully change model fit. Adjusted r² after inclusion of Bayley-3 at 36 months ranged from 0.35 to 0.41.

Conclusion: This study suggests that PPB severity and very early life neurodevelopment have little association with school-age neurodevelopment above and beyond demographic and early life risk factors. However, preschool-age neurodevelopmental assessment may still be useful in identifying children with PPB at risk for delay and who may benefit from early intervention.

Keywords: Child development; Deformational; Infant development; Plagiocephaly; Positional.