An evidentiary review regarding the use of chronological and adjusted age in the assessment of preterm infants.
OBJECTIVE
The evidence supporting the recommendation to use age adjustment when assessing the growth, motor, and global development of premature infants was explored. Following a comprehensive literature search, 16 articles that compared the use of adjusted and chronological age were reviewed.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of full age adjustment based on the degree of prematurity was supported for the assessment of premature infants for a minimum of 12 months adjusted age.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of adjusted age enhances the ability to accurately recognize genuine delays as opposed to perceived delays related to a child's gestational age at birth.
D'Agostino
Jo Ann
JA
Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. dagostino@email.chop.edu
D000367:Age Factors; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D007804:Language Development; D009048:Motor Skills; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D015399:Nursing Research