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Growth of low birth weight preterm children

Patrick H Casey1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA. CaseyPatrick@uams.edu

Seminars in Perinatology
|February 6, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Monitoring growth in very low birth weight premature (VLBWPT) infants is crucial. Optimal growth supports better neurodevelopment, while poor or excessive gain impacts long-term health.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Pediatric growth and development
  • Nutritional science

Background:

  • Very low birth weight premature (VLBWPT) infants exhibit distinct early growth patterns compared to term or larger preterm peers.
  • Postnatal growth significantly influences later health and neurodevelopmental outcomes in VLBWPT children.
  • Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge requires continued monitoring of VLBWPT infant growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To emphasize the importance of monitoring growth velocity (weight, length, head circumference, weight/length ratio) in VLBWPT infants post-NICU discharge.
  • To highlight the neurodevelopmental and long-term health consequences of atypical growth patterns in VLBWPT children.
  • To guide nutritional planning for VLBWPT infants to achieve gradual growth normalization without excessive gain.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing appropriate growth references to track weight, length, head circumference, and weight/length ratio over time.
  • Assessing individual growth potential considering factors like gestational age (SGA/AGA) and clinical conditions (e.g., GER, CLD).
  • Adjusting nutritional plans and caloric intake based on ongoing growth monitoring.

Main Results:

  • Atypically low weight gain is linked to suboptimal cognitive development.
  • Excessive weight gain increases the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes later in life.
  • Careful nutritional planning aims for gradual growth normalization while preventing extreme weight fluctuations.

Conclusions:

  • Continuous monitoring of key growth parameters by neonatologists is essential for VLBWPT infants.
  • Nutritional strategies must balance adequate caloric intake for growth with the prevention of excessive weight gain.
  • Personalized nutritional plans, considering genetic potential and clinical status, are vital for optimizing outcomes in VLBWPT children.

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