PREVALENCE OF BEHAVIOR DISORDERS IN LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS

Objective - To determine the prevalence of behaviour disorders in low birthweight infants. Design - Children of birth weight less than or eq ual to 2000 g born to mothers resident in Merseyside in 1980-1 assesse d using the Rutter parent and teacher behaviour questionnaires and the Conner modification of the Rutter teacher questionnaire. Children att ending normal schools were assessed with controls matched for age, sex , and class in school. Children attending special schools were assesse d unmatched. Subjects - 233 matched case-control pairs attending norma l primary schools and 46 unmatched children attending special schools. Setting - Primary and special schools. Main outcome measures - Emotio nal, conduct, and undifferentiated behaviour disorders and hyperactivi ty. Results - On the parental questionnaire screen, 36% of the cases a nd 22% of the controls had a behaviour disorder and on the teacher que stionnaire the proportions were 27% and 12% respectively. Hyperactivit y was significantly more common among male cases than their controls ( 21% v 5.0%) but differed little among female cases and controls (9% v 7%). Conclusions - Improving neonatal survival of low birthweight infa nts is accompanied by a higher prevalence of behaviour disorders. The long term implications for psychiatric morbidity and other adult disea se must be monitored.