4 YEARS FOLLOW-UP OF GROWTH IN SHORT STAT URE NEONATE

The auxological outcome of short stature neonates is still not well kn own. Data in the literature are unclear and contrasting due to the fac t that the principal classifications of neonates consider weight and n ot height. At the same time if height is considered no difference is m ade between symmetrical and asymmetrical cases, a factor of great impo rtance in that the statural prognosis differs according to the timing of the pathological noxa occurrence in embryonic or foetal life. In th is paper we report the results of a study carried out on 104 healthy n eonates, gestational ages between 28 and 41 weeks, divided in symmetri cal and asymmetrical. We assessed their growth rate and their age at c atch up compared to healthy full term infants. In 34 infants the growt h assessment was carried out up to 4 years of age. The growth is almos t continuous during the first 3-6 months, especially in the asymmetric al subjects, who catch up earlier than the symmetrical and, in most ca ses, within 2 years of age. On the other hand most of symmetrical subj ects catch up between the second and the fourth year. Only 11% of the children are under 10 degrees percentile at 4 years of age. We therefo re conclude that it is important to consider symmetrical and asymmetri cal neonates separately and to be aware that the catch up growth, espe cially in the first category, cart take place after the second year of life.