Abstract Background Late effects of treatment in children diagnosed and treated for brain tumours in infancy is a major concern. Assessment of infants presenting with brain tumours is difficult and there is little information available regarding the development of infants prior to treatment and hence the impact of the tumour itself on developmental outcomes. Aim To describe the development of children diag- nosed with brain tumours in infancy and to document their cognitive and adaptive function at school entry. Method Infants were psychologically evaluated at the time of diagnosis of a brain tumour and during their fifth or sixth year in preparation for school entry. Results Children diagnosed with brain tumours in infancy display developmental delays in a number of areas of adaptive function. By the time these children are school age they display further compromise in cognitive and academic skills and adaptive behaviour. Higher levels of deficit at follow-up were associated with tumour location in the supratentorium, younger age at diagnosis and longer time since diagnosis. The effect of radiotherapy could not be determined because of differing degrees of developmental com- promise in the treatment groups at baseline. Conclusion Brain tumours in infancy confer a risk of poor developmental progress at the time of diagnosis. These children display additional compromise of deve- lopment by the time they reach school age. Research protocols evaluating the impact of treatment in infants diagnosed with brain tumours need to take account of the developmental status of the child at diagnosis. Keywords Brain tumour Æ Infants Æ Neuropsychology Æ Intelligence Æ Adaptive function Introduction The survival rate of children suffering from intracranial tumours has increased significantly over recent years [1]. Survivors generally have a range of cognitive problems [2] and poor academic outcomes [3–6]. Causes of morbidity in children suffering from brain tumour include the nature of the tumour, the type of treatment and the presence of complications and associated pathology such as hydrocephalus [7]. R. Stargatt Æ V. Anderson Department of Psychology, Murdoch Childrens’ Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia J. V. Rosenfeld Department of Neurosurgery & Surgery, Alfred Hospital & Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia T. Hassall Department of Haemotology/Oncology, Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia W. Maixner Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia D. Ashley Children’s Cancer Centre, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia R. Stargatt (&) Department of Psychology, Royal Children’s Hospital, Flemington Rd, Parkville 3052 Vic, Australia e-mail: robyn.stargatt@rch.org.au J Neurooncol (2006) 80:295–303 DOI 10.1007/s11060-006-9187-0 123 CLINICAL – PATIENT STUDIES Intelligence and adaptive function in children diagnosed with brain tumour during infancy Robyn Stargatt Æ Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld Æ Vicki Anderson Æ Timothy Hassall Æ Wirginia Maixner Æ David Ashley Received: 16 March 2006 / Accepted: 21 April 2006 / Published online: 29 June 2006 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006