[Handicaps and the perinatal period. II. Perinatal pathology and severe deficiencies].
BACKGROUND
In the last two decades, the infant mortality rate has dramatically declined. But improved management of newborns may induce an increased prevalence of neurodevelopmental handicaps. The aim of this paper is to estimate the rate of major disabilities and their relationships to perinatal events.


METHODS
Three hundred and sixteen children born in 1984 and registered by the "Commission Départementale de l'Education Spéciale" (CDES) were included in the study. Among these, 97 had either cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness, or mental retardation. These 97 children were compared to 602 school age controls using a multivariate analysis (logistic regression).


RESULTS
The rate of major disabilities among the 6-year old children is 3.4/1000. It was 5/1000 in 1972 and 4.3/1000 in 1976. This frequency is higher in the children who were preterm (odds ratio--OR = 4.8), small for gestational age (OR = 3.3) or suffered from perinatal asphyxia (OR = 32.8). These three factors accounted for 37.4% of major disabilities.


CONCLUSIONS
This study emphasizes the relationships between perinatal events and some major handicaps but also shows that antenatal factors may be involved in neurodevelopmental problems.
Lacour
B
B
Inspection régionale de la santé, DRASS de Lorraine, France.
Cecchi Tenerini
R
R
Fresson
J
J
André
M
M
Baubeau
D
D
Vert
P
P
D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000453:epidemiology; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003638:Deafness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis
Handicaps et périnatalité. II. Pathologie périnatale et déficiences graves.