Simple screening tool catches neurodevelopmental delays in toddlers, but parents alone can't do it
A Japanese study of 1,373 toddlers found that a brief questionnaire reliably identifies developmental disorders at 18 and 36 months—but only when administered by trained professionals. While parent-completed versions miss cases, nurse and psychologist assessments achieved excellent accuracy, suggesting the tool could streamline early intervention programs if properly implemented in clinical settings.
Originaltitel: Screening for Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Japanese 18- and 36-Month Health Check-Ups: Utility and Reproducibility of the ESSENCE-Q.
**Tidigt screening av neurutvecklingsstörningar klarar japanskt hälsobesök** ESSENCE-Q-formuläret kan integreras i rutinmässiga hälsokontroller vid 18 och 36 månaders ålder för att fånga tidiga tecken på neurutvecklingsstörningar — en marknad för systematiserad pediatrisk screening växer när regioner söker kostnadseffektiva verktyg för tidig intervention. Studien analyserade 1373 japanska barn. Prevalensen av neurutvecklingsstörningar var 11,2 procent. ESSENCE-Q uppfyllde höga krav på intern konsistens och reproducerbarhet när yrkespersonal (sjuksköterskor och psykologer) genomförde screening. Suzuka University of Medical Science och Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre (Sahlgrenska Academy) utvecklade och validerade verktyget tillsammans med japanskt statligt stöd. Resultatet förändrar inköpskriterierna: moderintervjuer ensamt räcker inte. Regionvård och primärvården behöver en tvåstegsmodell där professionell bedömning kompletterar föräldrarapportering, vilket ökar personalkrav men förbättrar diagnosackuratet innan skolstart.
AIM: The ESSENCE Questionnaire (ESSENCE-Q) helps detect early neurodevelopmental disorder signs across multiple developmental domains for timely intervention. We evaluated the feasibility, reliability, accuracy and reproducibility of ESSENCE-Q in 18- and 36-month Japanese infants and toddlers. METHODS: Longitudinal data from 1373 children who participated in 18- and/or 36-month health check-up were analysed. ESSENCE-Q was completed independently by mothers (ESSENCE-Q-M), public health nurses (ESSENCE-Q-N) and psychologists (ESSENCE-Q-P). Its effectiveness was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves, and optimal cut-off values were established. RESULTS: The overall neurodevelopmental disorder prevalence was 11.2%. The internal consistency of ESSENCE-Q was good. ESSENCE-Q-P demonstrated the highest performance at 18 months. Both ESSENCE-Q-N and ESSENCE-Q-P demonstrated excellent performance at 36 months. ESSENCE-Q-M is not sufficient for standalone use. CONCLUSION: ESSENCE-Q is a highly useful and reproducible screening tool for professionals for 18- and 36-month check-ups. ESSENCE-Q completed by mothers should be supplemented with professional assessments.