Denver Developmental Screening Test

In the Cree study reported by McKeown-Eyssen et al. (1983), the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) was administered to the 12- to 30-month-old children in the cohort. Scores were reported as the percentage of items passed on each subscale (gross-motor, fine-motor, language, and personal and social subscales) and on the entire test. 

Two out of four studies using the Denver Developmental Screening Test reported an association of low-dose MeHg exposure on early childhood development. 

Data from the peer-reviewed pilot SCDS of 217 children assessed at 5.5 years (Myers et al. 1995) are also considered in this chapter. (Note that the nonstandard treatment of the data from the Revised Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST-R) discussed in Chapter 5 was not an issue in the 5.5-year follow-up since the DDST-R was not given at that age.) Two of the four outcomes that were tested in both the pilot and the main Seychelles studies at... 

The sample in the main Seychelles study appears to have been developmentally robust. There was an exceptionally low number of abnormal scores on the Denver Developmental Screening Test, an unusually high mean Psychomotor Development Index score, and a very low rate of referral for mental retardation. On the other hand, the means and standard deviations of the cognitive measures administered at later ages were similar to U.S. norms. It is unclear to what extent the developmental robustness of that particular sample might have buffered it from any adverse effects of prenatal Hg exposure. 

Karp inski FE, Rieders F, Girsh LS Calcium disodium versenate in the therapy of lead encephalopathy. J Pediatr 42 687-699, 1953 Kirkconnell SC, Hicks LE Residual effects of lead poisoning on Denver Developmental Screening Test scores. J Abnorm Child Psychol 8 257-267, 1980 Kotok D Development of children with elevated blood lead levels a controlled study. J Pediatr 80 57-61, 1972... 

Kotok (1972) found that the developmental deficiencies in a group of asymptomatic children with elevated blood lead levels were identical to those of a control group similar in age, sex, environment, neonatal condition and, importantly, incidence of pica. Moreover, these deficiencies could be correlated with inadequacies in the environment. Because a somewhat insensitive measure of development was used (the Denver Developmental Screening Test), and the groups were small, this study could not exclude the possibility of minimal neurological damage. Its main conclusion was that the observed developmental deficiencies could not be considered to be due to lead toxicity. 

Khera, A.K., Wibberley, D.G. and Dathan, J.G. (1980). Placental and stillbirth tissue lead concentrations in occupationally exposed women. Br. ]. Ind. Med., 37, 394-396 Kirkconnell, S.C. and Hicks, L.E. (1980). Residual effects of lead poisoning on Denver developmental screening test scores. ]. Abnorm. Child Psychol, 8, 257-267 Kline, T.S. (1960). Myocardial changes in lead poisoning. Am. ]. Dis. Child., 99, 48-54 Kotok, D. (1972). Development of children with elevated blood lead levels a controlled study. ]. Pediatr. (St. Louis), 80, 56-71... 

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