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Growth patterns in children with intrauterine growth retardation and their correlation to neurocognitive development

Aviva Fattal-Valevski1, Hagit Toledano-Alhadef, Yael Leitner

  • 1Institute for Child Development and Pediatric Neurology Unit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel. afatal@post.tau.ac.il

Journal of Child Neurology
|July 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children with intrauterine growth retardation show varying catch-up growth. Head circumference and height at 1 year predict cognitive and neurodevelopmental outcomes by age 9-10.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) affects fetal development, potentially impacting long-term neurocognitive outcomes.
  • Early somatic growth patterns in IUGR infants may offer insights into later developmental trajectories.
  • Understanding these relationships is crucial for early identification and intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between somatic growth parameters and neurocognitive outcomes in children with IUGR.
  • To determine if early growth catch-up influences long-term cognitive and neurodevelopmental assessments.
  • To identify specific growth indicators that predict neurocognitive function in later childhood.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal cohort study of 136 children diagnosed with IUGR.
  • Annual measurements of growth parameters (height, weight, head circumference) from birth to 9-10 years.
  • Regular neurodevelopmental evaluations and intelligence quotient (IQ) assessments throughout childhood.

Main Results:

  • Catch-up in height between 1 and 2 years was significantly greater than catch-up in weight (P < .001).
  • Cognitive outcome at 9-10 years correlated with head circumference across all measured ages.
  • Neurodevelopmental outcome correlated with weight, with head circumference showing stronger association with IQ and weight with neurodevelopmental scores.
  • Height at 1 year significantly predicted both IQ and neurodevelopmental outcome at 9-10 years.

Conclusions:

  • Somatic growth patterns, particularly head circumference and early height, are significant predictors of neurocognitive outcomes in children with IUGR.
  • Height catch-up in early childhood is a critical factor influencing later cognitive development.
  • These findings underscore the importance of monitoring growth in IUGR infants for predicting and supporting neurodevelopmental trajectories.

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