Author: Hack,M et al.
Source: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
This article, appearing in the July 2000 issue, describes the developmental outcomes of a group of extremely low birthweight (ELBW) babies born between 1992-1995. The children studied weighed less than 1000 grams and had no major physical malformations at birth.
When the babies turned 20 months old (with age corrected for prematurity), they were evaluated with physical and neurological examinations and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (BSID II).
Seventy two percent of the children survived to 20 months' corrected age. Of these children, 88% were living with their birth parents, 11% were in foster care, and 1% remained in a chronic care facility.
Overall, 48% of the children had some degree of neurodevelopmental impairment (defined as either a subnormal score on the BSID II, neurologic abnormality, blindness, or deafness).
Fifteen percent of the children were diagnosed with cerebral palsy and 9% had hearing loss, and 1% had visual impairment.
When looking at children without any neurosensory impairment, 62% still had subnormal or borderline MDI scores. Significant predictors of a subnormal MDI score were male sex, social risk factors, and chronic lung disease. Significant predictors of neurologic abnormalities included abnormal head ultrasound findings and chronic lung disease. Significant predictors of deafness included male sex, history of sepsis, and jaundice.
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