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Catch-up growth for the extremely low birth weight infant
Alice S Hill1, Hoang Nguyen, Kimberly L Dickerson
1The University of Texas School of Nursing at Galveston, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Pediatric Nursing
|August 18, 2009
Summary
Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants show growth post-neonatal intensive care unit discharge but lag behind full-term infants in weight, length, and head circumference. Continued monitoring is essential for these vulnerable infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy
- Pediatric Growth and Development
Background:
- Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants face significant challenges in achieving optimal growth post-neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge.
- Understanding growth trajectories is crucial for early intervention and improved long-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the growth patterns of ELBW infants after NICU discharge.
- To compare the growth parameters of ELBW infants to those of full-term infants.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 60 ELBW infants' hospital records.
- Descriptive study design to analyze growth data at discharge, 6 months, and 12 months.
Main Results:
- Significant gains in weight, length, and head circumference were observed between assessment periods (p < 0.001).
- A negative weight change was noted from discharge to 6 months, while length increased from 6 to 12 months.
- At 12 months, ELBW infants remained significantly below the 50th percentile for weight, at the 7th percentile.
Conclusions:
- ELBW infants demonstrate growth post-NICU discharge but consistently lag behind full-term infants across all measured parameters.
- These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and potential interventions to support the growth of ELBW survivors.
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