Relationship of growth and psychoneurologic status of 2-year-old children of birthweight 500-999 g.

There were 257 liveborn infants of birthweight 500-999 g born in one tertiary centre in the 5 1/4 years commencing January 1977; 86 (33.5%) survived to 2 years of age, corrected for prematurity and 83/86 (96.5%) were fully assessed. The prevalence of cerebral palsy was 10/83 (12%) and 17/83 (20%) had a major impairment. The distribution of weights and heights for 2-year-old boys and girls was significantly lower than for the standard population, as was the head circumference distribution for boys; the distribution of the Mental Developmental Index (Bayley Scales) was not related to the head circumference or body weight at two years or to head-circumference/bodyweight or height ratios. At birth measurements of weight, length and head circumference were under the 3rd percentile for 13/86 (15%), 9/86 (10.5%) and 9/86 (10.5%) respectively. By 2 years of age, weight, length and head circumference were under the 3rd percentile in 23/83 (27.7%), 26/83 (31.3%) and 4/83 (4.8%) respectively. 12 children who were SGA at birth were fully assessed at 2 years; the group of 6, who continued with poor postnatal weight gains (under the 3rd percentile) had the highest rate of major impairment but included were the only extremely SGA twins and the only two major malformations in the study. We found no association of other health problems or unfavourable social factors with poor postnatal growth or impaired outcome.