Neuropsychological development of Buyi minority children in Guizhou province

ObjectiveTo examine neuropsychological development of Buyi minority children in Guizhou province and to provide scientific basis for improving the health of Buyi minority children.MethodsA total of 200 Buyi children aged 6 months to 6 years were sampled from Ceheng and Changshun county heavily populated with Buyi residents and 217 Han children of the same ages from Shuicheng and Pingba county mainly with Han populations were selected as controls for a cross-sectional study.Neural and Psychological Development Scale for 0-6 Years Children compiled by Capital Children Research Institute was used in the survey.ResultsThe general development quotient (DQ)and its 5 major domains were within normal range among the Buyi children,but the DQs showed an unbalanced distribution,with a markedly higher DQ for gross motor function (100.73±13.54)and an obviously lower DQ for language development(P<0.01 for all).No gender difference was observed in intelligence development among the Buyi children.For the Buyi children,the general DQ of 2-12 months old children (96.74±13.58)was the highest and that of children older than 3 years was the lowest(P<0.01 for all).The Buyi children had significantly higher language DQ (85.62±13.92 vs 76.39±15.10) and general DQ (91.38±11.28 vs 84.07±11.98)than the Han children (P<0.05 for all).Compared to the Han boys,the Buyi boys showed significantly higher DQs for adaptation ability,language,sociall behavior,and general development (P<0.01 or P<0.05);the Buyi girls had a significantly higher DQ for gross motor function than the Han children.The rate of retardation was 2.00% among the Buyi children,which was significantly lower than among the Han children (9.22%)(P<0.01),and the proportion of the Buyi children with normal intelligence was significantly higher than that of the Han children (64.50%vs 52.00%,P<0.05).The score of adaption ability of Buyi children aged older than 3 years was higher than that of Han children of same age (77.95±10.31 vs 70.64±10.21,P<0.05),and there were no significant differences in general DQ and its domains between Buyi and Han children of other ages.Both Buyi and Han children at younger age had higher scores for general DQ and DQs of 5 domains,except for gross motor function,with marginally lower scores for language and adaption ability among the children aged older than 3 years.ConclusionThe neuropsychological development of Buyi minority children is at a normal level and presents a decrease trend with the increment of age.The gross motor function development is good for both male and female Buyi children.