Serial developmental assessments in infants with deformational plagiocephaly

Abstract

Aim: An association between positional plagiocephaly and developmental problems has previously been noted, but whether delays persist over time has not been established. This study aimed to determine developmental outcomes for children with deformational plagiocephaly over 1 year of follow up.

Methods: This was a longitudinal cohort study of 126 infants with deformational plagiocephaly recruited at an outpatient clinic. Development was assessed with the parent-completed Ages and Stages Questionnaires at recruitment and repeated at follow-up assessments in the home 3, 6 and 12 months later. Questionnaires were scored according to cut-off scores from the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition.

Results: Ninety-six percent of children were followed up for the full 12 months. The existence of one or more delays initially was 30%; this rose to 42% at the 3-month follow up then dropped back to 23% by the 12-month follow up. Delays were predominantly in the gross motor domain. Ten percent had > 4 delays in total over the four assessments. Mothers with tertiary education were more likely to have infants showing delays that persisted over time.

Conclusions: Infants with deformational plagiocephaly exhibited marked delays especially in early infancy. These delays were largely gross motor in type but had reduced to approach the expected level by the time of the 12-month follow up, at a mean age of 17 months.