Infantile cerebral palsy and neuromotor development in very low birth weight infants
Fazzi, E.; Bianchini, L.; Ometto, A.; Piazza, F.; Rondini, G.; Lanzi, G.
Minerva Pediatrica 42(6): 219-225
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-4946 PMID: 2250628 Document Number: 347947
One hundred twenty-seven children born between September 1st 1980 and August 31st 1985 weighing less than or equal to 1500 g at birth and submitted to intensive neonatal care were followed-up to the age of 12-36 months of corrected age with a follow-up program to assess their neuromotor and cognitive development. The incidence of cerebral palsy (CP) in the population in question was 15.7% at 12 and 24 months and 14.6% at 36 months. A peak CP rate was observed among those born in 1982 with a steady decline in the number of CP cases among those born in the last years of this study. The group of children with a birth weight of 1001-1500 g (VLBWI) was more heavily affected by CP than those whose weight was less than or equal to 1000 g (ELBWI). Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between neuromotor development and the following factors relative to the perinatal period: type of birth, sex, respiratory distress requiring assisted ventilation, acidosis, ultrasound, neurological examination at the 40th week of gestational age.