Developmental Outcomes and Risk Factors in Traumatic Brain Injury Among Infants and Young Children: A Comparative Study of ASQ-3 and Bayley-III

Background: Children's traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious worldwide health issue. Among people who are not elderly, children ages 0–4 have the highest rate of TBI. These children have chronic neurological conditions that drastically affect their everyday lives and general well-being. Aim of the study: to identify factors that affect developmental outcomes after TBI and to compare two tools used for assessing these outcomes: the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III). Subjects and methods: A comparative descriptive study was carried out on 85 children and infants who had traumatic brain injury and are recruited from Emergency room, Intensive care units and general clinic of the Children’s Hospital and Surgery Hospital, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. The study spanned six months, from August 2021 to January 2022, with the sample selected through randomization. The Age and Stage Questionnaire 3rd edition (ASQ-3) was used to measure developmental outcomes twice: once upon hospital discharge and again three months later. Additionally, the second visit was the only time the Bayley scales of infants and toddlers' development III were evaluated. Results were compared and associated between follow-up and discharge. Results: Better developmental outcomes were indicated by the statistically significant difference between the ASQ-3 at discharge and follow-up, which was greater at follow-up than at discharge (P<0.001 for all elements). At follow-up, a comparison of the Bayley Scale and ASQ-3 revealed no statistically significant difference. This indicates that both tests were similar. Conclusions: Following TBI, the majority of children continued on their normal developmental path. Prior to referral to the third edition of the Bayley scales of infants' and toddlers' development, Following traumatic brain damage, children can be screened using the ASQ-3. Convulsions, aberrant head CT results, lower GCS, the need for neurosurgical intervention, and hospitalisation were among the factors that negatively impacted development after traumatic brain injury.