Do not Forget to Measure the Head: Hydrocephalus Can Phenotypically Mimic Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition presenting with poor motor skill development and impaired coordination at a young age. To diagnose DCD, neurologic conditions explanatory for the phenotype, including structural brain abnormalities like hydrocephalus, must be first ruled out. However, these neurologic conditions may phenotypically mimic DCD, which can hamper their distinction.

Predictive validity of the Standardized Infant NeuroDevelopmental Assessment (SINDA) to identify 4-5 year-old children at risk of developmental delay in a low-risk sample.

Background: Early detection of developmental problems is important as it allows for early intervention. Previous studies, in high-risk infants, found high predictive values of atypical scores on the Standardized Infant NeuroDevelopmental Assessment (SINDA) for later neurodevelopmental disorders (i.e.

Longer duration of gestation in term singletons is associated with better infant neurodevelopment.

Background: Longer gestation at term and post-term age is associated with increased perinatal mortality. Nonetheless, recent neuroimaging studies indicated that longer gestation is also associated with better functioning of the child's brain.

Aims: to assess whether longer gestation in term and post-term (in short: term) singletons is associated with better infant neurodevelopment.

Atypical knee jerk responses in high-risk children: A longitudinal EMG-study.

Introduction: We previously found that atypical responses to the knee jerk reflex, i.e., tonic responses (TRs), clonus and contralateral responses in very high-risk (VHR) infants were associated with cerebral palsy (CP) at 21 months.

Infant motor behaviour and functional and cognitive outcome at school-age: A follow-up study in very high-risk children.

Background: The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) is an appropriate tool to assess and monitor infant motor behaviour over time. Infants at very high risk (VHR) due to a lesion of the brain generally show impaired motor development. They may grow into or out of their neurodevelopmental deficit.

Development of muscle tone impairments in high-risk infants: Associations with cerebral palsy and cystic periventricular leukomalacia.

Aim: To assess the prevalence and development of muscle tone impairments in infants at high risk of developmental disorders, and their associations with cerebral palsy (CP) and cystic periventricular leukomalacia (cPVL).

Method: Longitudinal exploration of muscle tone in 39 infants at high risk of CP (LEARN2MOVE 0-2 project) mostly due to an early lesion of the brain. Muscle tone was assessed ≥4 times between 0 and 21 months corrected age (CA) with the Touwen Infant Neurological Examination.

Patterns of atypical muscle tone in the general infant population - Prevalence and associations with perinatal risk and neurodevelopmental status.

Background: Muscle tone is an indispensable element in motor development. Its assessment forms an integral part of the infant neurological examination. Knowledge on the prevalence of atypical tone in infancy is lacking.

Typical general movements at 2 to 4 months: Movement complexity, fidgety movements, and their associations with risk factors and SINDA scores.

Background: Movement complexity and the presence of fidgety movements (FMs) during general movements (GMs) both reflect aspects of neurological integrity in early infancy.

Aim: To assess interrelations between the degree of movement complexity and characteristics of FMs during typical GMs and to investigate associations between mildly impaired GMs and risk factors and neurodevelopmental condition.

Study Design: Observational cohort study.

Atypical general movements in the general population: Prevalence over the last 15 years and associated factors.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of atypical general movements (GMs) in the general population, to examine its time trend and associated factors.

Methods: Participants consisted of 300 infants born in 2016-2018 (current cohort; gestational age 39.4 weeks (27-42); 162 boys), representative of the Dutch population.

Motor behaviour in infancy is associated with neurological, cognitive, and behavioural function of children born to parents with reduced fertility.

Aim: To evaluate the associations between motor development in infancy and developmental outcomes at school age.

Method: Participants were 195 children (99 males, 96 females; mean age [SD] 9y 3mo [3mo], range 8y 4mo-10y 11mo) born to couples whose reduced fertility was or was not treated with assisted reproductive technologies. Motor behaviour was assessed at 4, 10, and 18 months with the Infant Motor Profile (IMP).

Prevailing head position to one side in early infancy-A population-based study.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of prevailing head position to one side (PHP) in young infants and to evaluate its associations with reaching performance, neurological condition and perinatal and socio-economic factors.

Methods: Observational study in 500 infants (273 boys) 2-6 months corrected age, representative of the Dutch population (median gestational age 39.7 weeks (27-42); birthweight 3438 g (1120-4950).

IVF procedures are not, but subfertility is associated with neurological condition of 9-year-old offspring.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is not associated with neurological abnormalities in offspring's early childhood. Yet, it is unclear whether this is also true for school age. Neither do we know the role of parental subfertility in offspring's neurological development.

Motor development in infancy is related to cognitive function at 4 years of age.

Aim: Evidence is accumulating that motor and cognitive development are interrelated. This study investigates associations between motor development in infancy and cognitive function at 4 years of age.

Method: This study is part of the Groningen prospective cohort study on the development of children born after assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization.

Myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders: The importance of early identification and treatment.

Background: In clinical practice, myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders frequently remains unrecognized, because it is often overshadowed by other neurological features. Since treatment can lead to significant functional improvement, accurate phenotyping is essential. To demonstrate the importance of early identification and treatment, we report on four patients with various childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders suffering from myoclonus.

Utility and safety of rituximab in pediatric autoimmune and inflammatory CNS disease.

Objective: To assess the utility and safety of rituximab in pediatric autoimmune and inflammatory disorders of the CNS.

Methods: Multicenter retrospective study.

Results: A total of 144 children and adolescents (median age 8 years, range 0.

Movement variation in infants born following IVF/ICSI with and without ovarian hyperstimulation.

Background: The effect of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) on neurodevelopment is not fully understood. Probably, IVF does not affect traditional measures of neurodevelopment in infancy. Recently, an instrument, the Infant Motor Profile (IMP), was developed that evaluates the quality of motor behaviour.

Reliability and concurrent validity of the Infant Motor Profile.

Aim: The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) is a qualitative assessment of motor behaviour in infancy. It consists of five domains: movement variation, variability, fluency, symmetry, and performance. The aim of this study was to assess interobserver reliability and concurrent validity of the IMP with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and an age-specific neurological examination.

Infant Motor Profile and cerebral palsy: promising associations.

Aim: The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) is a novel qualitative assessment of motor behaviour in infancy. The aim of this study was to determine whether IMP scores throughout infancy differ between children with and without cerebral palsy (CP) at 18 months. Furthermore, we evaluated the predictive ability of IMP scores throughout infancy for CP.

Construct validity of the Infant Motor Profile: relation with prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal risk factors.

Aim: The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) is a qualitative assessment of motor behaviour of infants aged 3 to 18 months. The aim of this study was to investigate construct validity of the IMP through the relation of IMP scores with prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal variables, including the presence of brain pathology indicated by neonatal ultrasound imaging of the brain.

Method: A longitudinal prospective study was performed in a group of 30 term infants (12 females, 18 males; median gestational age 40.

The assessment of minor neurological dysfunction in infancy using the Touwen Infant Neurological Examination: strengths and limitations.

Aim: Little is known of minor neurological dysfunction (MND) in infancy. This study aimed to evaluate the inter-assessor reliability of the assessment of MND with the Touwen Infant Neurological Examination (TINE) and the construct and predictive validity of MND in infancy.

Method: Inter-assessor agreement was determined in a sample of 40 infants (24 males, 16 females) aged 3 to 12 months (25 born at term: gestational age 37-41wks, median 39; and 15 born preterm, gestational age 24-35wks, median 32).

Evaluation of neuromotor function in infancy-A systematic review of available methods.

Objective: Neuromotor function in infancy can be evaluated in various ways. Assessment instruments are used for early detection of children with a high risk for developmental disorders. Early detection enables clinicians to provide intervention at a young age when plasticity of the nervous system is high.

The Infant Motor Profile: a standardized and qualitative method to assess motor behaviour in infancy.

A reliable and valid instrument to assess neuromotor condition in infancy is a prerequisite for early detection of developmental motor disorders. We developed a video-based assessment of motor behaviour, the Infant Motor Profile (IMP), to evaluate motor abilities, movement variability, ability to select motor strategies, movement symmetry, and fluency. The IMP consists of 80 items and is applicable in children from 3 to 18 months.