NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME IN VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS AT 24 MONTHS AND 5 TO 7 YEARS OF AGE - CHANGING DIAGNOSIS

We describe the long-term development of 53 very low birth weight prem ature infants, The children were divided into 2 groups on the basis of ultrasound scan, and classified as: group I, patients with normal ult rasound scan or with uncomplicated hemorrhage; and group II, patients with complicated hemorrhage or only parenchymal lesions, Minor and maj or sequelae detected at 2 years of age were compared with those observ ed at 5 to 7 years, Our study confirms that most severely handicapped children are identified by age 2 years, Minor sequelae are more eviden t at 5 to 7 years and subjects with good outcome, as expressed by a Ge neral Cognitive Index score > 80, discordant cognitive profile with ve rbal scores higher than performance scores, Therefore, we emphasize th e importance of follow-up of very low birth weight premature infants u ntil school age and stress that neonatal ultrasound scan diagnosis of parenchymal damage represents an important diagnostic tool in terms of both short-and long-term neurodevelopmental outcome. (C) 1997 by Else vier Science Inc. All rights reserved.