Low-birth-weight infants born to adolescent mothers. Effects of coresidency with grandmother on child development.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the impact of young maternal age, coresidency with infant's grandmother, and other familial and environmental factors on development of low-birth-weight (LBW) infants.


METHODS
Prospective cohort analyses.


METHODS
Eight medical institutions in different geographical locations participating in the Infant Health and Development Program.


METHODS
Control population of 272 LBW, preterm infants enrolled in the Infant Health and Development Program born to mothers aged 15 to 24 years.


METHODS
Child cognitive, behavioral, and health outcomes at 36 months' gestation-corrected age.


RESULTS
Maternal age was not significantly related to child development. Coresidence with infant's grandmother was associated with improved cognitive and health outcomes. Maternal ethnicity, maternal verbal ability, and other environmental factors were also associated with child outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings of this study support the need for programs that include the extended family of at-risk infants, providing education and literacy skills to the mothers and encouraging participation of all care givers of the child.
Pope
S K
SK
Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
Whiteside
L
L
Brooks-Gunn
J
J
Kelleher
K J
KJ
Rickert
V I
VI
Bradley
R H
RH
Casey
P H
PH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002652:Child Behavior; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors