Abstract
All surviving infants of 24-28 weeks gestation born at the QVMC between 1977-80 were scheduled for developmental assessment at two years of age, corrected for prematurity. Of the 80 survivors 72 were assessed on the mental (MDI) and psychomotor (PDI) and the Infant Behaviour Record (IBR) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Children of 24-26 weeks gestation were compared with those of 27-28 weeks on the incidence of physical disabilities and performance on the Bayley Scales. Infants of shorter gestation (24-26 wk) had significantly more major and minor physical disabilities than those of longer gestation (27-28 wk) p<.002. There were no significant differences between the two groups on either the MDI or PDI. Performance on the MDI, but not on the PDI, was however significantly affected across the whole 24-38 wk gestation range by infant behaviour and occupational status of the father. Analysis of variance revealed that children with abnormal orientation to tasks had significantly lower MDI scores (85.6) than children with normal orientation to tasks (102.2)p<.001. Similarly, children whose father's occupational status on the Congalton scale was below the median had significantly lower MDI scores (90.3) than those above (98.5) p<.05. There was no significant interaction between infant behaviour and father occupation. These results indicate that infant behaviour is the most important determinant of mental performance at two years of age for this group of 24-28 week gestation infants.
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Asthury, J., Orgill, A., Bajuk, B. et al. TWO YEAR DEVELOPMENTAL PERFORMANCE IN INFANTS 24–28 WEEKS GESTATION. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 101 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00046
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00046