Modern approaches to the early diagnosis of neurological diseases in infants
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37800/RM.2.2025.533Keywords:
infants, neurological disorders, cerebral palsy, Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE), General Movements Assessment (GMA), Bayley-IIIAbstract
Relevance: Early diagnosis of neurological diseases in children is an important and complex task in pediatric practice. Brain plasticity in the first months of life creates a “therapeutic window” for rehabilitation measures, significantly improving the disease’s functional outcomes. Intervention can significantly change the “trajectory” of the child’s development, reducing disability and improving the functional status.
The scientific novelty of the study is ensured by its emphasis on the potential of combining the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) and General Movements Assessment (GMA) tools for early detection of cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and metabolic disorders.
The study aimed to evaluate methods for early detection of developmental disorders and neurological pathology in children from the risk group at an early age, based on an analysis of scientific publications, as well as the assessment of their clinical effectiveness and applicability in various medical situations.
Methods: To conduct a systematic review, articles from international scientific journals published from 2015 to 2025 were analyzed using the keywords: ‘neonatal seizures,’ ‘cerebral palsy,’ ‘early diagnosis,’ ‘HINE,’ GMA,’ and ‘Bayley-III.’ Sources of information: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science. The main attention was paid to systematic reviews of clinical studies with a high level of evidence, which assessed the effectiveness of various methods of early motor intervention in infants aged 0 to 3 years at risk of neurological pathology.
Results: The review presents that early diagnosis of neurological diseases by assessing spontaneous movements requires validated tools. The HINE and Bayley-III neurodevelopmental assessments have proven their effectiveness and sensitivity in a cohort of patients aged 0 to 3 years, supporting early intervention.
Conclusion: The review demonstrated that the most effective tools for early diagnosis of neurological pathology in infants, particularly cerebral palsy, are HINE, GMA, Bayley-III, and MRI, which are characterized by high sensitivity and specificity. Studies of their use for early manifestations of ASD and metabolic disorders are promising. The creation of early diagnostic markers for various neurological pathologies is relevant. The combined use of HINE, GMA, Bayley-III, and MRI can significantly enhance the accuracy of predicting outcomes in undesirable clinical situations during the perinatal period in newborns.
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