Neuropediatrics 2012; 43 - PS16_07
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1307125

Relationship between growth and psychomotor development of preterm children

S Rodemann 1, A Bevot 1, R Goelz 2, I Krägeloh-Mann 1, M Ranke 3
  • 1Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Tübingen, Germany
  • 2Abteilung Neonatologie, Abteilung Neuropädiatrie und Entwicklungsneurologie, Tübingen, Germany
  • 3Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Tübingen, Germany

Aims: We hypothesized that

  • at school age, preterm children born SGA are smaller than children born AGA

  • in SGA children, the motor and cognitive performance is worse than in AGA children

  • preterm children with short stature (<10th percentile) at school age perform worse than children with normal growth.

Methods: Prospective longterm outcome follow-up-study of 141 preterm children born 1995–1997 GA <32 weeks or BW <1500g (one tertiary intensive care unit)

Groups defined:

SGA/AGA

Height at 8 years > P 10/< P10

Data collected:

Pre-, peri-, neo- and postneonatal data

Anthropometric data at birth, discharge and at age of 8 years

Cognitive and motor assessments: M-ABC (Movement Assessment Battery for Children), K-ABC (Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children) at age of 8 years

Statistics: SPSS 15.0: comparison of means and multivariate covariance analysis

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with respect of growth: Standarddeviation Score Prader SGA vs. AGA: Height: Mean -0.83 vs. -0.50; Weight: Mean -0.66 vs. -0.65; Headcircumference: Mean -1.24 vs. -0.77), and motor and cognitive assessments (M-ABC Total Impairment Score (TIS) >10 (%) 14.3 vs. 18.6; K-ABC IQ mean 94.1 vs. 91.6).

Children with height < P10at the age of 8 years, performed statistically significant worse in cognitive assessment. Also motor skills were worse, even if this was not statistically significant. Height < P10 vs. >P10: M-ABC TIS >10 (%) 33.3 vs. 14.3. Within the group of children with short stature (<10th percentile) at the age of 8, there were children born SGA and AGA and also children with normal and with impaired neonatal growth.

Conclusion: Reduced intrauterine growth had no negative effect on longterm cognitive, motor and anthropometric outcome at school age. However, children with reduced postnatal growth until the age of eight performed worse in cognitive assessments. It is still unclear if there are decisive factors which could determine growth, cognitive and motor longterm-outcome in a certain period of life.

longterm outcome - preterm - growth - development