Neurodevelopmental outcome and school performance of very-low-birth-weight infants at 8 years of age.
The neurodevelopmental outcome and school performance of 50 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and 33 small for gestational age (SGA) very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, compared to a control group (41 Term infants) were assessed at 8 years of age. The incidence of major handicaps among AGA and SGA/VLBW infants respectively, was 16% and 6%. No major handicap was found in the control group. The incidence of neurodevelopmental abnormalities (NDA) among AGA's (40%) and SGA's (57.6%) compared with the control group (31.7%) was found to be significantly higher. School failure occurred more frequently among VLBW infants (22.9%) and was related in children with NDA--and more particularly among AGA's--to the presence of language disorders or associated NDA. Evaluation of the consequences of NDA and school problems for later academic and professional achievement now requires further follow-up studies.
D000124:Achievement; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000254:growth & development*; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology