Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine

Original Article: J Korean Acad Rehabil Med. 2004;28(2):132-139.; Diagnosis and Clinical Features in Children Referred to Developmental Delay Clinic.; Kim, Seong Woo , Shin, Jung Bin , Kim, Eun Hye , Lee, Seon Kyung , Jung, Hee Jung , Song, Dong Ho; ¹Developmental Delay Clinic, National Health Insurance Corporatrion Ilsan Hospital, Korea.
²Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, National Health Insurance Corporatrion Ilsan Hospital, Korea. graceeun@dreamwiz.com
³Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea.

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 etiologicdiagnosis 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. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2004; 28: 132-139)

Keywords :Diagnosis, Clinical features, Developmental disability, Developmental delay