Abstract
177 children (81% of a cohort of 218 weighing 2000g or less at birth) were measured regularly until the age of 3 years. At 3 years the weights of 36% (53% SGA and 26% AGA) were <10th centile, and of 11% (5% with handicap) <3rd centile. The heights of 23% (31% SGA, 18% AGA) were <10th centile. When height was corrected for prematurity only 11% were <10th centile, suggesting that many children's heights were close to this centile. If they continued on their 3 year old centile their adult height would be close to the tenth centile. Categorising them as “below the 10th centile” gives a misleading pessimistic impression. Comparison with the weight centile at 6 month showed that 33% crossed the 10th centile by 3 years. The predictive value of the weight at 6 months was better for boys than girls. The study confirmed the findings of previous workers and showed that predictions about growth cannot reliably be made at 6 months. Furthermore, many of those whose height was below the 10th centile at 3 years may well attain an acceptable adult height. SGA = Small for Gestational Age, AGA = Appropriate for Gestational Age.
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Bryan, E., Elliman, A., Elliman, A. et al. THE GROWTH OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT 3 YEAR OLDS. Pediatr Res 19, 1088 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00122
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00122