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Improvement of developmental outcome between 24 and 36 months corrected age in very preterm infants
Author(s) -
Houtzager Bregje A,
GorterOverdiek Bianca,
Van Sonderen Loekie,
Tamminga Pieter,
Van Wassenaer Aleid G
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2010.01953.x
Subject(s) - medicine , psychomotor learning , bayley scales of infant development , pediatrics , gestational age , gestation , birth weight , child development , cohort , cohort study , pregnancy , cognition , psychiatry , genetics , biology
Aim: To study early developmental course in preschool‐aged very preterm infants and its association with perinatal risk factors and test‐taking behaviour. Methods: Children born <30 weeks gestation and/or <1000 g in the Academic Medical Center of Amsterdam were assessed at 24 and 36 months corrected age with the Dutch Bayley Scales of Infant Development‐II (BSID‐II‐NL) and neurological examination. Linear regression analyses for developmental change were performed with perinatal risk factors. Results: One hundred and forty‐six children, mean GA 28 weeks and mean birth weight 1043 g, participated. Mental and psychomotor scores improved significantly with 6 and 7 points, respectively, from 24 to 36 months (p < 0.01). Mild to severe problems on at least one domain occurred less often at 36 (32%) compared to 24 months (63%) (p < 0.01), using corrected scores. Mental improvement was associated with being born very small for gestational age or <28 weeks; psychomotor improvement was associated with not being treated with indomethacin. Difficult test behaviour occurred mostly at 24 months and was associated with non‐optimal development at 36 months. Conclusion: Improved developmental outcome and test behaviour were found at 36 compared to 24 months in a cohort of very preterm children. Long‐term outcome studies and retesting of behaviourally difficult children are recommended.