Growth and development of term disproportionate small-for-gestational age infants at the age of 7 years.
Twenty-four term infants with disproportionate intrauterine growth retardation (SGA group) and 24 normally grown term infants matched for age, sex, birth rank and social class were followed from birth until 7 years of age. Both groups were free from perinatal complications and chronic diseases. The children in the SGA group continued to be underweight-for-height with a low ponderal index and a relatively small head circumference at the age of 7 years. Only minor shifts occurred in the individual growth curves since the age of 3 years. In 12 SGA children and 1 control multiple 'soft' neurological signs were found. Their grammar school teachers observed problematic behavior (hyperactivity, poor concentration and clumsiness) in 9 and academic problems in 5 of the 12 SGA children with neurological dysfunction. These findings indicate that disproportionate intrauterine growth retardation at term can have long-term effects on growth and development.
Walther
F J
FJ
Department of Pediatrics, Academic Hospital Maastricht, State University of Limburg, The Netherlands.
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000502:physiology*; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012917:Social Adjustment