Commentary: Early growth and cognitive development

British adults who were born small for gestational age (birthweight below the fifth percentile for age at birth) in 1970 have academic difficulties that persist into adolescence. As young adults their professional and economic attainment was found to be lower than that of those born at normal birthweight. These results were obtained in the largest study to date on the long-term educational and social implications of impaired fetal growth. About 14 000 infants born in one week in the UK were included and more than 50% of them were followed-up for 26 years. Despite the observed differences in academic and professional achievement, the adults who were small at birth were as likely to be employed, married and satisfied with life as their normal birthweight counterparts. These findings raise intriguing questions about the underlying factors that led to the observed disadvantages as well as about their implications for public health world-wide. Other studies in adults have failed to show associations between size at birth and adult cognitive performance. Some Commentary: Early growth and cognitive development