Studying Early Biomarkers to Detect Language Development Issues in Children Treated for Neonatal Encephalopathy with Therapeutic Hypothermia Ages 4 to 7 Years

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying children aged 4 to 7 years who were born with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy HIE and treated with therapeutic hypothermia. The study aims to identify early signs of delayed language development by examining biomarkers such as blood gas levels, brain activity, and MRI findings, with a focus on the corpus callosums ADC values. It also investigates the impact of HIE on intellectual and language development, memory, and the incidence of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD in this population. The study involves a detailed review of clinical, laboratory, and imaging data collected during the neonatal period, including blood gas values, cerebral activity recordings during the first hours of life, and MRI scans performed around day 4 to 5 after birth. These MRI scans are reanalyzed using the Weeke MRI scoring system. Neurodevelopmental assessments were done at age 2 using the Bayley Scales, and a second comprehensive assessment is planned at ages 4 to 7 years to evaluate intelligence and language abilities using standardized tools like the WPPSI-IV and KOBAK tests. Participants will undergo neurodevelopmental evaluations including IQ testing, detailed language assessments, and questionnaires completed by parents covering socioeconomic status, social communication, screen time, ADHD traits, and behavior. The study measures cognitive and language abilities as primary outcomes and collects data on social and behavioral aspects as secondary outcomes. Recruitment and data collection are scheduled from April 2025 to December 2026, involving children who had prior follow-up and whose parents consent to continued assessment.

Speech of Kids After Neonatal Encephalopathy