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Health status development in a cohort of preterm children
N C Theunissen1, A L den-Ouden, J J Meulman
1Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. n.theunissen@fss.uu.nl
Insights
Preterm birth impacts child health status, with one-third experiencing problems. Health issues evolved between ages 5 and 10, with mood and concentration challenges increasing for these high-risk children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Preterm birth is a significant risk factor for long-term health challenges in children.
- Understanding the evolving health status (HS) of preterm infants is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental trajectory of health status in children born preterm.
- To identify specific health concerns and risk factors in this vulnerable population at ages 5 and 10.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal analysis of prospectively collected health status variables from parents.
- Principal component analysis was used to identify patterns in health status development.
- Study cohort comprised 688 children born before 32 weeks gestation and weighing <1500g.
Main Results:
- One-third of preterm children experienced persistent health problems, while another third had issues at one assessment only.
- Mobility and speech problems decreased with age, but negative mood and concentration difficulties increased.
- Preterm children with handicaps, boys, and those small for gestational age were at higher risk.
Conclusions:
- Parent-reported data indicate that one-third of preterm children had no health problems by age 10.
- The pattern of health status challenges in preterm children significantly changes between ages 5 and 10.
Objective:
To determine the impact of preterm birth on health status (HS) development at the ages of 5 and 10 years in a cohort of children born before term.
Sample:
Six hundred eighty-eight children, born in 1983 with a gestational age of <32 weeks and a birth weight of <1500 g.
Design:
Prospectively collected HS variables, obtained from the parents, were analyzed in a longitudinal perspective by using principal component analyses.
Results:
One third of the sample had minor to severe HS problems at both ages of measurement. One third had problems on one assessment only. The remainder of the sample had no HS problems at either age. The analyses grouped the HS variables into 3 combinations. Problems in basic functioning, such as mobility or speech, decreased with age. Negative moods substantially increased, and concentration problems increased slightly. Specifically at risk were preterm born children with handicaps, boys, and children who were small for gestational age.
Conclusion:
According to the parents, one third of the cohort had no HS problems at either age. The pattern of HS problems of the preterm born children changed between 5 and 10 years of age.