[Early intervention in infants with intrauterine growth retardation: its effects on neuropsychological development].

Forty-eight term infants in a tertiary center in Puerto Rico during 1985-86 were monitored prospectively since birth completing a neuropsychological evaluation using the Mental Developmental Index of Bayley Scales. All infants were free from perinatal complications and chronic diseases by clinical evaluation. 25 infants with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and 23 adequate for gestational age (AGA) infants were evaluated. Fourteen IUGR infants were controls and eleven IUGR infants were intervened. However, all AGA infants were used as controls. Mother-infant relationship at one month was scored and none of intervened infants had poor neuropsychological behavior with normal or near normal MDI values. Other relationships and possible explanations are discussed in the article.