Physical outcome and school performance of very-low-birthweight infants treated with minimal handling and early nasal CPAP.
OBJECTIVE
To describe physical outcome and school performance in a cohort of very-low-birthweight infants treated with early nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP)/minimal handling regimen with permissive hypercapnia, in comparison to siblings of normal birthweight.


METHODS
Neonatal and follow-up data from 213 very-low-birthweight infants from 1983-1988 were registered and a questionnaire concerning school achievements was sent to the families of survivors and siblings attending school.


RESULTS
Mortality was 22%. Of the survivors, 4% had moderate-severe and 9% mild sequelae. Eighty-seven per cent of VLBW children and 95% of their siblings attended regular school. Average or above-average achievement was accomplished by 33 (65%) of the VLBW children and 34 (74%) of the siblings in mathematics, and 35 (69%) and 32 (68%), respectively, in reading/spelling. None of these differences reached statistical significance. However, the performance ratings correlated significantly with socio-economic conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study of infants treated with a regimen of early NCPAP/minimal handling, we found a relatively low incidence of handicaps and impairments. Nearly 90% attended ordinary schools, with near-average performances in mathematics and reading/spelling, which were not statistically different to their siblings. The overall results indicate that these infants fare at least as well as survivors after conventional treatment.
Dahl
Marianne
M
Department of Paediatrics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark. mariannedahl@bullerupnet.dk
Kamper
Jens
J
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome