[Growth and development during the 1st year of life in children exposed to phototherapy during the neonatal period].

Authors have studied the effects to a short and medium term of phototherapy on the growth and development and hormonal production on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis on two series of newborns: a) problems (28 term newborns and 5 preterms) treated with phototherapy during the neonatal period and, b) controls (25 term newborns and 5 preterms). In both series growth and development have been analyzed during the first year of life, including: 1) Anthropometric data: weight, length, cephalic perimeter, at neonatal period, and 3, 6 and 12 months of age; bone maturation (TW2 method) at 12 months of age. 2) Hormonal data: during the neonatal period basal estimations) and at 12 months of age. Last hormonal studies on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis have been done according to Mortimer-Savage method. Statistic analysis of results obtained on the different areas that have been studied do not shown statistic differences between the problem and the control series (p greater than 0.05). According with the results conclude that phototherapy does not have secondary effects to a short and medium term on the growth and development neither on the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary axis.