Use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II in neurodevelopmental follow-up of extremely low birth weight infants

Objective: For infants born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW), we examined the (1) correlation between results on the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II) at 18 to 22 months corrected age; (2) degree to which earlier ASQ assessments predict later BSID-II results; (3) impact of ASQ use on follow-up study return rates. Study Design: ASQ data were collected at 4, 8, 12 and 18 to 22 months corrected age. The BSID-II was completed at 18 to 22 months corrected age. ASQ and BSID-II 18 to 22 month sensitivity and specificity were examined. Ability of earlier ASQs to predict later BSID-II scores was examined through linear regression analyses. Result: ASQ sensitivity and specificity at 18 to 22 months were 73 and 65%, respectively. Moderate correlation existed between earlier ASQ and later BSID-II results. Conclusion: For extremely low birth weight infant assessment, the ASQ cannot substitute for the BSID-II, but seems to improve tracking success. Journal of Perinatology (2011) 31, 641-646; doi:10.1038/jp.2011.1; published online 10 February 2011