Abstract
The behavioral development and possible sequelae of “early” neonatal hypocalcemia (HC, occurring in the first 3 days of life) have not been examined. From a prospective study of Vitamin D supplementation, 6 well AGA prematures (gestation 32 to 37 wks. who were hypocalcemic at 48 hours of age (SS-20 ionized Ca<3.5 mg/dl) were pair matched (gestation and Apgar) with 6 normocalcemic (NC) infants. Infants were examined for amount of tremors on day 1,2,3, with Brazelton Behavioral Assessment (BBA) at 40 weeks post conception and Gesell Developmental Exam. (GDE) at 3 and 6 months. All exams. were blind to Ca levels. There were no differences between HC and NC groups in degree of tremors during the 1st. 3 days. In the BBA, the HC infants were less responsive to the ball than NC infants, 3.8±0.3 (mean±SEM) vs. 4.7±0.1 (Wilcoxon Rank, p<0.05); the HC infants were less responsive to the voice than NC infants, 4.3±0.1 vs 5.3±0.1 (p<0.05), and less responsive to voice and face than NC, 4.5±0.1 vs. 5.6±0.2 (p<0.05). The HC group also needed more consoling than NC infants, 6.6±0.3 vs 7.6±0.3 (p<0.05) and were more excitable than NC infants, 6.4±0.4 vs 5.8±0.3 (p<0.05). The GDE at 3 months was lower for the HC infants (90±3) compared to NC (99±1), p<0.05. At 6 months there was no difference between the 2 groups, 112±1 vs 111±1. Early neonatal hypocalcemia is associated with less responsiveness and more excitability in the neonate, with possible effects at 3 months.
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Chan, G., Chan, M., Tsang, R. et al. 31 BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT OF PREMATURES WITH NEONATAL HYPOCALCEMIA. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 369 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00036
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00036