Prematurity and developmental delay : the development within the second year of life of a New Zealand birth cohort of premature infants

Abstract

As a result of progressively improving technology and care procedures in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) the likelihood of a premature infant surviving is increasing. Premature infants' developmental prognoses is improving yet they remain at higher risk of developmental delay than full te1m infants. The cuffent study assessed the development of 23 children at age 17 and 20 months chronological age unc01rncted for prematurity, with gestational ages 32 weeks or less, who were admitted to a NICU and who had recorded selenium values at 28 days of age. The Uniform Performance Assessment System was used in the developmental assessments. Twenty-one percent of the children had a mild or severe developmental delay in one or more developmental areas. These figures were compared with studies from other countries. Eighty percent of children with a disability had a developmental delay and 60% of children with a delay had been re-hospitalised 3 times or more. On average children bom prematurely with a developmental delay had had a more severe medical course in the NICU. The Neonatal Medical Index (NMI) was applied to the children's NICU medical records. The NMI risk rating apparently would have predicted which infants would be developmentally delayed at 17 and 20 months of age.