[Follow-up of the small-for-gestational-age child: clinical guidelines].
BACKGROUND
In this document the Small for Gestational Age (SGA) Child Working Group of the Spanish Society for Paediatric Endocrinology proposes the guidelines for the management and follow-up of SGA children, highlighting the potential morbidity arising from the SGA condition and its consequences in adulthood.


METHODS
There is currently a wide variability in the management of the SGA child between health centres and health professionals. The diagnostic criteria for SGA according to the last international consensus guidelines are defined, which also include preterm SGA patients but excluding those patients in whom low birthweigh is associated with specific syndromes. We also outline the potential abnormalities associated with the SGA condition and recommend specific therapeutic and preventative measures.


CONCLUSIONS
Low birth weight remains a major cause of morbidity in childhood and is associated with an increased risk of health problems later in life. Childhood is a critical window during which some of the risk factors accounting for this sequence are potentially reversible, with healthy lifestyle measures and environmental intervention. Accordingly, these guidelines should be useful not only for Primary Care Paediatricians but also for Neonatologists, Paediatric Endocrinologists, Neuropaediatricians and Pediatric Gastroenterologists, and also for the parents.
Unidad de Endocrinología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario de Álava, Vitoria, España. Ignacio.diezlopez@osakidetza.net
I Díez
ID
López
A de Arriba
Ade A
Muñoz
J Bosch
JB
Muñoz
P Cabanas
PC
Rodríguez
E Gallego
EG
Gómez
M J Martínez-Aedo
MJ
Ollero
J M Rial
JM
Rodríguez
A C Rodríguez
AC
Dehlia
R Cañete
RC
Estrada
L Ibáñez
LI
Toda
D002657:Child Development; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D012307:Risk Factors