Low-birth-weight infants in the Cape Peninsula. A follow-up study at the age of 3 years.
A sample of coloured children from the Cape Town City Council area who had been of low birth weight, although a weight appropriate for gestational age, was examined at the age of approximately 3 years. The children were compared with a control group of similar social background who had been of normal birth weight. Growth parameters were compared with the National Center for Health Statistics centiles. The low-birth-weight infants had compensated well. Although they were lighter, shorter in stature and had lower intelligence quotient scores than their normal-birth-weight contemporaries, when corrected for prematurity the growth parameters and IQ did not differ significantly from those of the controls. Six per cent of the preterm infants had major and 15% minor handicaps. Infants with very low birth weights (less than 1500 g) had no more handicaps than those with low birth weights. Iron deficiency was detected in 18% of the children overall but all those who were anaemic were from the low-birth-weight groups. Between 1 and 3 years of age the low-birth-weight infants had more illnesses but no more hospital admissions than the controls.
Deeny
J E
JE
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital.
Molteno
C D
CD
Westcott
D L
DL
Heese
H D
HD
Evans
D
D
D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007360:Intelligence; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa
D007501:Iron