Article

The aim of this article was to report the prevalence of, and risk factors
for, positive autism screens using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers
(M-CHAT) in children born extremely preterm in England. METHOD: All children born
at not more than 26 weeks' gestational age in England during 2006 were recruited
to the EPICure-2 study. At 2 years of age, postal questionnaires incorporating
the M-CHAT and additional developmental questions were sent to the parents of
each survivor (n=1031; 499 male, 532 female), of which 523 (266 male, 257 female;
51%) were returned completed. RESULTS: The prevalence of positive M-CHAT screens
in this extremely preterm population was 41% (216/523; 130 male; 86 female).
Severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, administration of postnatal steroids,
late-onset bacteraemia, and being male were statistically significantly
associated with a positive screen. Coexisting disabilities were present in 320
(62%) children. Of 200 children without disability, 16.5% screened positive. In
contrast, 63 (95.5%) of those with severe motor impairment (odds ratio 42; 95%
confidence interval [CI] 12.9-135) and 175 (55.9%) of those with cognitive
impairment (odds ratio 5.3; CI 3.5-8) screened positive. All children with a
significant vision or hearing impairment screened positive. INTERPRETATION: The
prevalence of positive M-CHAT screens in extremely preterm children is high,
especially in children with neurodevelopmental impairment. Positive screens
should be interpreted in the light of other neurodevelopmental sequelae in
clinical practice to avoid false-positive referrals.
CI - (c) The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (c) 2012 Mac Keith
Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS