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Cognitive abilities of asphyxiated survivors beyond 5 years of age
1Department of Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Insights
Children surviving birth asphyxia show cognitive impairments compared to peers. Early detection and special education are crucial for these survivors.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Birth asphyxia can impact long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Assessing intellectual, psychoeducational, and social maturity is vital for affected children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate intellectual, psychoeducational, and social maturity in unimpaired survivors of birth asphyxia beyond 5 years of age.
- To compare developmental outcomes between asphyxiated survivors and a control group.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving longitudinal follow-up of hospital-based cohorts.
- Cognitive function assessed using Stanford Binet and Raven's Progressive Matrices.
- Academic achievement, visuo-motor integration, neurological signs, and social maturity were evaluated using standardized tests.
Main Results:
- Asphyxiated children performed within the normal range cognitively and academically but were significantly disadvantaged compared to controls (p < 0.005).
- A higher proportion of asphyxiated children exhibited soft neurological signs.
- Approximately 11% of asphyxiated children showed abnormal social maturity scores.
Conclusions:
- Children with a history of birth asphyxia demonstrate impaired cognitive abilities compared to their peers.
- Early identification and intervention through special education services are recommended for at-risk children.
Objective:
To evaluate the intellectual, psychoeducational and social maturity of a cohort of unimpaired asphyxiated survivors beyond 5 years of age.
Design:
Case control study on hospital based cohorts on a longitudinal follow up at High Risk and Well Baby Clinics of a teaching hospital.
Methods:
The demographic data of these children was recorded. A detailed physical examination was performed. The tests of cognition included the Stanford Binet and the Raven's Progressive matrices. Academic achievement was evaluated by the Wide range achievement test-Revised (WRAT-R). Assessment of visuo-motor integration was done by the Bender Gestalt Test. The proportion of children having soft neurological signs was determined. Vineland Social Maturity Scale was performed on all children.
Results:
Fifty-four asphyxiated and 57 matched control children participated in the study. Of the 54 asphyxiated children, 27 were tested at a mean age of 7.2 +/- 1.6 years (Group 1) and 27 were tested at a mean age of 10.9 +/- 1.52 years (Group 2). The asphyxiated children as a group performed in the normal range on tests of cognition and academic achievement but were significantly disadvantaged (p < 0.005) as compared to controls. A higher percentage of asphyxiated children had low scores on the Bender Gestalt Test as compared to controls but the difference was not significant. A significantly higher proportion of asphyxiated children of both the groups showed the presence of soft neurological signs as compared to controls. Approximately 11% of the asphyxiated children performed in the abnormal range in the Vineland Social Maturity Scale.
Conclusion:
Cognitive abilities of asphyxiated children beyond the age of 5 years are impaired in comparison to controls, emphasizing the need for early detection and referral for special education.