PSYCHOMOTOR DEVELOPMENT AT 10 MONTHS AS RELATED TO NEONATAL HEALTH-STATUS - THE STOCKHOLM NEONATAL PROJECT

The psychomotor development of 171 preterm very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants (birthweight less than or equal to 1500 g) at 10 months of co rrected age was assessed by the Griffiths' Mental Developmental Scale. The developmental score was related to the prenatal and obstetric ris k factors and to the neonatal health status of each infant. These resu lts, in turn, were compared to findings for a reference group of full- term infants. This analysis revealed that prolonged ventilator treatme nt, patent ductus arteriosus, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, brain haemor rhage with ventricle dilatation, white matter lesions, low birthweight and low gestational age influenced psychomotor development in an unfa vourable manner. Multiple regression analysis confirmed most of these correlations. Preterm birth per se (when children with risk factors we re excluded) in general had no significant effect on psychomotor devel opment. However, the early development of preterm infants with several neonatal risk factors was adversely affected.