Prognosis for low-birthweight infants up to the age of 14: a population study.
A birth cohort of 12,058 infants was followed up to 14 years of age. Cerebral palsy, epilepsy, severe hearing defects, mental retardation and educational subnormality all had a higher incidence among the 411 children with a low birthweight (less than 2500 g). 6 per cent of the total cohort had educational problems with or without some other neurological handicap, and there was a higher prevalence among low-birthweight infants. 1.5 per cent had a handicap but normal school performance. Children with birthweight 1500 to 2499 g had a significantly higher percentage of handicaps than those of heavier birthweight. All the neurological handicaps were more common among boys than girls, but only in mental subnormality was there a marked difference. Height at 14 years was significantly less among low-birthweight children.
D000375:Aging; D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011379:Prognosis