The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 154, Issue 6 , Pages 829-834.e1 , June 2009

Neurosensory Disabilities at School Age in Geographic Cohorts of Extremely Low Birth Weight Children Born Between the 1970s and the 1990s

  • Gehan Roberts, MPH, PhD, FRACP

      Affiliations

    • From the Premature Infant Follow-up Program, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
    • Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
    • Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Neurosciences Theme, Melbourne, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Dr Gehan Roberts, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Royal Women's Hospital, 20 Flemington Rd, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
    • ,
  • Peter J. Anderson, BA, GradDip (AppPsych), PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
    • Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Neurosciences Theme, Melbourne, Australia
    • ,
  • Lex W. Doyle, MD, FRACP

      Affiliations

    • From the Premature Infant Follow-up Program, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
    • Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
    • Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Neurosciences Theme, Melbourne, Australia
    • ,
  • Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group

      Affiliations

    • A complete list of Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group members is available at www.jpeds.com (Appendix).

Received 26 September 2008 ,Revised 24 November 2008 ,Accepted 19 December 2008.

References 

  1. Chaikind S, Corman H. The impact of low birthweight on special education costs. J Health Econ. 1991;10:291–311
  2. Doyle LW, Anderson PJ. Improved neurosensory outcome at 8 years of age of extremely low birthweight children born in Victoria over three distinct eras. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2005;90:F484–F488
  3. Anderson PJ, Doyle LW. Neurobehavioral outcomes of school-age children born extremely low birth weight or very preterm in the 1990s. JAMA. 2003;289:3264–3272
  4. Bowen JR, Gibson FL, Hand PJ. Educational outcome at 8 years for children who were born extremely prematurely: a controlled study. J Paediatr Child Health. 2002;38:438–444
  5. Doyle LW Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group. Evaluation of neonatal intensive care for extremely low birth weight infants in Victoria over two decades, I: effectiveness. Pediatrics. 2004;113:505–509
  6. Ornstein M, Ohlsson A, Edmonds J, Asztalos E. Neonatal follow-up of very low birthweight/extremely low birthweight infants to school age: a critical overview. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1991;80:741–748
  7. Knoches AM, Doyle LW. Long-term outcome of infants born preterm. Baillieres Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 1993;7:633–651
  8. Hack M, Taylor HG, Klein N, Eiben R, Schatschneider C, Mercuri-Minich N. School-age outcomes in children with birth weights under 750 g. N Engl J Med. 1994;331:753–759
  9. Taylor HG, Klein N, Minich NM, Hack M. Middle-school-age outcomes in children with very low birthweight. Child Dev. 2000;71:1495–1511
  10. Rickards AL, Kitchen WH, Doyle LW, Kelly EA. Correction of developmental and intelligence test scores for premature birth. Aust Paediatr J. 1989;25:127–129
  11. Wechsler D. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition. San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessment; 1991;
  12. Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group. Eight-year outcome in infants with birth weight of 500 to 999 grams: continuing regional study of 1979 and 1980 births. J Pediatr. 1991;118:761–767
  13. Wechsler D. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Revised. New York: The Psychological Corp; 1974;
  14. Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group. Improved outcome into the 1990s for infants weighing 500-999 g at birth. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1997;77:F91–F94
  15. Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group. Postnatal corticosteroids and sensorineural outcome at 5 years of age. J Paediatr Child Health. 2000;36:256–261
  16. Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group. Improvement of outcome for infants of birth weight under 1000 g. Arch Dis Child. 1991;66:765–769
  17. Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group. Neurosensory outcome at 5 years and extremely low birthweight. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1995;73:F143–F146
  18. Bayley N. Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corp; 1993;
  19. Doyle LW. Changing availability of neonatal intensive care for extremely low birthweight infants in Victoria over two decades. Med J Aust. 2004;181:136–139
  20. Saigal S, Doyle L. Preterm birth 3: an overview of mortality and sequelae of preterm birth from infancy to adulthood. Lancet. 2008;371:261–270
  21. Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group. Multicenter trial of cryotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity: three-month outcome. Arch Ophthalmol. 1990;108:195–204
  22. Moster D, Lie RT, Markestad T. Long-term medical and social consequences of preterm birth. N Engl J Med. 2008;359:262–273
  23. Marlow N, Wolke D, Bracewell MA, Samara M. Neurologic and developmental disability at six years of age after extremely preterm birth. N Engl J Med. 2005;352:9–19
  24. Wolke D, Samara M, Bracewell M, Marlow N. Specific language difficulties and school achievement in children born at 25 weeks of gestation or less. J Pediatr. 2008;152:256–262
  25. Taylor G, Klein N, Hack M. Consequences and risks of < 1000-g birth weight for neuropsychological skills, achievement, and adaptive functioning. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2006;27:459–469
  26. Wilson-Costello D, Friedman H, Taylor G, Hack M. Improved neurodevelopmental outcomes for extremely low birth weight infants in 2000-2002. Pediatrics. 2007;119:37–45
  27. Roberts G, Bellinger D, McCormick MC. A cumulative risk factor model for early identification of academic difficulties in premature and low birth weight infants. Matern Child Health J. 2007;11:161–172

 Supported by the Department of Human Services, Victoria, Australia.

 The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest, real or perceived.

PII: S0022-3476(08)01145-1

doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2008.12.036

The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 154, Issue 6 , Pages 829-834.e1 , June 2009

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