Poor growth outcomes are common among VLBW children (<1.5 kgm). To examine the effect of cerebral palsy (CP) on growth to 20 months corrected age, we compared all 50 singleton VLBW children diagnosed with cerebral palsy(BW 1014 g, GA 27.7 wks) who were born at our center from 1983-1991 to the next inborn VLBW child, matched by birthweight (± 250 g), gestational age (± 2 wks), race and sex, who had no neurosensory impairment at 20 months (BW 1029 g, GA 27.6 wks). Social risk factors of the groups were similar.

Weight (wt), height (ht), and head circumference (HC) were measured at birth, 40 wks (term), 8 and 20 months corrected age. Mean 20 month wt for the CP children was 10.1±1 kgm vs 10.9±1 kgm for controls(p<.05), mean ht was 80±5 cm vs 81±6 cm for controls (NS), and mean HC was 46.5±2 cm vs 48.2±2 cm for controls (p<.001).Figure

figure 1

Figure 1

Thus, whereas catch-up of wt and ht to above the 3rd percentile occurs at 8 and 20 months in neurologically normal VLBW, those with CP showed no catch-up at 8 months with limited catch-up growth at 20 months. Microcephaly is noted in 35% of infants with CP by 8 months.

The poor growth outcomes of VLBW with CP probably reflect the combined effects of neurologic handicap, poor feeding and nutritional factors. Developmental and nutritional enrichment might improve these growth outcomes.