title: Determinants of cognitive ability at 7 years: a longitudinal case-control study of children born small-for-gestational age at term.
abstract: The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of children's intelligence at 7 years, including pregnancy, postnatal, demographic factors, and small-for-gestational age (SGA) birth at term. Information was collected at birth (n = 871), 1 year (n = 744), 3.5 years (n = 550), and 7 years (n = 591). Approximately half of the children in this study were born SGA (birthweight <or=10th percentile). There was no significant difference found between IQ scores for SGA children compared to AGA children, after adjustment for potential confounders (p = 0.45). Paternal education, developmental delay, and birth order were associated with intelligence scores at 7 years in the multiple regression analysis. This study found no long-term effect of SGA birth at term on intelligence in middle childhood. Potentially modifiable postnatal and demographic factors were found to be strong predictors of intelligence at 7 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, New Zealand. m.theodore@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Reremoana F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Theodore
authors.forename: John M D
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Waldie
authors.forename: David M O
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Becroft
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Chris J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Phillipa M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Ed A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors