Neonatal neurobehavioural assessment as related to growth in infancy

The neurobehavioural performance of 84 full-term neonates was assessed. Ant hropometric measurements including weight, length and head circumference we re obtained and converted to standard deviations from the mean at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age. Optimal scores on measures of neonatal activity and reflexes had significant but modest correlations with a decrease in weight and length gain during the first year of infancy. This trend was present r egardless of birth size. It is possible that neurobehavioural status is eit her related to the intrauterine environment or that a common factor contrib utes to both the neurological status and growth rate during intrauterine li fe and infancy.