Psychological and neurodevelopmental outcome of high risk newborn infants.
Among 142 high-risk-newborns, 111 could be regularly followed-up to 3 years of age. 79 (71%) are normal, 6 (5.5%) have minor neurological sequels, 9 (8.1%) have major neurological sequels, associated in 4 cases with mental deficiency, 16 (14.5%) have developmental abnormalities (speech delay, behavioral problems, perceptual-motor and praxis disturbances), and one mental deficiency without neurological sequels. Neonatal cerebral distress proved to be the most dangerous clinical situation with regard to the ultimate neurodevelopmental prognosis (73.6% of neurological sequels or developmental abnormalities). The presence of transient abnormalities of tone in the course of the first year of life was associated with ultimate developmental abnormalities in 33.3% of the cases. Social and cultural status seemed to play a role in the intellectual, linguistic and perceptual-motor performance of this group of infants. In spite of these encouraging results, the need for a systematic long term follow-up of high risk newborns is stressed, since neurological sequels and developmental abnormalities are approximately 4 times more frequent in this group than in a normal infantile population.
D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007567:Jaundice, Neonatal; D009048:Motor Skills; D011379:Prognosis; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn; D012923:Social Class