Clin Exp Pediatr.  2025 Jan;68(1):97-103. 10.3345/cep.2024.00619.

Instability of revised Korean Developmental Screening Test classification in first year of life

• Jeong JE
• Kim YM
• Lee NW
• Kim GN
• Bae J
• Kim JK

• KMID: 2564612
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3345/cep.2024.00619

Abstract

Background
Early development is characterized by considerable variability. Purpose: This study aimed to examine the stability of developmental classifications using the revised Korean Developmental Screening Test (K-DST) in healthy term infants aged 4–6 and 10–12 months.
Methods
Data were obtained from the Korean Children’s Environmental Health Study, a nationwide prospective birth cohort. Sixty-nine healthy term infants (26 boys, 43 girls) underwent serial K-DST assessments at 4–6 and 10–12 months of age, between August 2017 and December 2019
Results
At 4–5 months, over 50% of infants were categorized in the ≥-1 standard deviation (SD) group, with the lowest prevalence in the gross motor domain (52.7%). Seven infants (10.1%) scored below -2 SD in at least one domain, most commonly in gross and fine motor domains (7.3%). At 10–12 months, over 70% of infants scored in the ≥-1 SD group, except in the language domain. Six infants (9.5%) scored below -2 SD in at least one domain, (cognition 4.8%, language 3.2%, gross motor 3.2%). Serial follow-up showed significant improvement, with many infants moving to the ≥-1 SD group, particularly in the gross motor domain (33.3%). Of the seven infants scoring below -2 SD at 4–5 months, only two remained in this category at 10–12 months.
Conclusion
Infants scoring below -2 SD on the revised K-DST 4–5 months questionnaire, especially in the gross motor domain, should undergo close monitoring and repeated evaluations in the absence of neurological abnormalities or developmental red flags.

Keyword

Infant development; revised-Korean Developmental Screening Test; Developmental delay