title: Retarded head growth and neurocognitive development in infants of mothers with a history of eating disorders: longitudinal cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterise early growth and neurocognitive development in children of mothers with a history of eating disorders (ED).
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Child-care centres in Stockholm, Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children born to mothers with previous ED (n = 47) (24 anorexia nervosa, 20 bulimia nervosa, 3 unspecified ED), and controls (n = 65).
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean values and standard deviation scores of weight and height from birth to 5 years of age and head circumference up to 18 months of age were compared between groups. Neurocognitive development was studied at the age of 5 years by the validated parent questionnaire Five to Fifteen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Head growth and neurocognitive development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We previously reported that mothers with a history of ED conceived infants with lower birthweight and head circumference than controls. At 3 months of age, body mass index (BMI) was no longer reduced but mean head circumferences of the children born to mothers with ED were smaller throughout the observation period. Similarly, the longitudinal results of the standard deviation scores of head circumference showed a significant overall group effect with lower levels in both subgroups of ED (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa). The children of the ED mothers also had significantly higher Five to Fifteen scores than controls, reflecting difficulties in language skills. Head circumference at birth correlated with language skills in the children of mothers with ED.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children of mothers with previous ED demonstrated an early catch-up in BMI, but the average head circumference continued to be delayed until at least 18 months of age. The reduced head growth was related to delayed neurocognitive development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Division for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Karolinska Institutet and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koubaa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hällström
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hagenäs
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hirschberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy; D012886:Skull / Q000254:growth & development*; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; growth development; head circumference; offspring