Examining DAYC-2 Scores in Children with Prenatal Substance Exposure
Abstract
Prenatal substance exposure (PSE) is associated with increased risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Although neonatal complications are well documented, less is known about early developmental functioning among infants and young children with PSE beyond the immediate postnatal period. The purpose of this study was to describe developmental functioning across five domains on the Developmental Assessment of Young Children-Second Edition (DAYC-2) among children with documented PSE. A retrospective chart review of electronic health records was conducted at a specialty pediatric follow-up clinic in South-Central Appalachia. Data was extracted for patients with at least one clinic visit between April 2020 and March 2025. A total of 137 clinic visits were identified; 49 clinic visits included a DAYC-2 administration. Five infants completed the DAYC-2 on two different visits. The first administration was included in the current analysis. The DAYC-2 is a standardized assessment measuring cognitive, communication, social-emotional, physical, and adaptive behavior domains. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the proportion of children scoring below average within each domain. Data were extracted to HIPAA-compliant REDCap and analyzed using SPSS. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Sixty-four percent of infants scored below average in at least one developmental domain. Domain-specific below average scores were observed in cognitive [38.6% (n = 17)], communication [20.5% (n = 9)], social-emotional [43.2% (n = 19)], physical development [31.8% (n = 14)], and adaptive behavior [22.7% (n = 10)] domains. The highest proportion of below average scores occurred in the social-emotional domain. Findings from this retrospective clinic sample indicate that developmental concerns are common among young children with PSE, particularly in the social-emotional domain. Although results are descriptive and limited to one specialty clinic, they support the need for systematic developmental monitoring and early identification practices in this high-risk population.
Start Time
15-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 4:30 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Poster Number
67
Presentation Type
Poster
Student Type
Graduate and Professional Degree Students, Residents, Fellows
Faculty Mentor
Alyson Chroust
Examining DAYC-2 Scores in Children with Prenatal Substance Exposure
Culp Ballroom 316
Prenatal substance exposure (PSE) is associated with increased risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Although neonatal complications are well documented, less is known about early developmental functioning among infants and young children with PSE beyond the immediate postnatal period. The purpose of this study was to describe developmental functioning across five domains on the Developmental Assessment of Young Children-Second Edition (DAYC-2) among children with documented PSE. A retrospective chart review of electronic health records was conducted at a specialty pediatric follow-up clinic in South-Central Appalachia. Data was extracted for patients with at least one clinic visit between April 2020 and March 2025. A total of 137 clinic visits were identified; 49 clinic visits included a DAYC-2 administration. Five infants completed the DAYC-2 on two different visits. The first administration was included in the current analysis. The DAYC-2 is a standardized assessment measuring cognitive, communication, social-emotional, physical, and adaptive behavior domains. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the proportion of children scoring below average within each domain. Data were extracted to HIPAA-compliant REDCap and analyzed using SPSS. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Sixty-four percent of infants scored below average in at least one developmental domain. Domain-specific below average scores were observed in cognitive [38.6% (n = 17)], communication [20.5% (n = 9)], social-emotional [43.2% (n = 19)], physical development [31.8% (n = 14)], and adaptive behavior [22.7% (n = 10)] domains. The highest proportion of below average scores occurred in the social-emotional domain. Findings from this retrospective clinic sample indicate that developmental concerns are common among young children with PSE, particularly in the social-emotional domain. Although results are descriptive and limited to one specialty clinic, they support the need for systematic developmental monitoring and early identification practices in this high-risk population.
