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Severe small size for gestational age and cognitive function: catch-up phenomenon possible

James F Paulson1, Suneet P Chauhan, James B Hill

  • 1Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
|June 26, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Newborns with low birth weight for gestational age (GA) show initial cognitive delays but catch up by age two. Academic performance remains comparable through kindergarten, indicating no long-term deficits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric developmental neuroscience
  • Child psychology
  • Public health and epidemiology

Background:

  • Birth weight for gestational age (GA) is a key indicator of fetal development.
  • Infants born with low birth weight for GA may face developmental challenges.
  • Understanding long-term cognitive outcomes is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare cognitive functioning in children born with birth weight below the 3rd percentile for GA versus those at or above the 3rd percentile.
  • To track cognitive development from infancy through kindergarten age.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of singleton, nonanomalous infants from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort.
  • Use of confounder-adjusted general linear models to assess associations between weight for GA and cognitive outcomes.
  • Cognitive assessments conducted at 9 months, 2 years, preschool, and kindergarten.

Main Results:

  • Infants below the 3rd percentile for GA (16% of the cohort) had 12 percentile points lower cognitive performance at 9 months (P < .001).
  • No significant cognitive differences were observed by 2 years of age (P = .668).
  • Academic performance in reading and math at preschool and kindergarten ages showed no significant differences between groups (P > .245).

Conclusions:

  • Infants born with low birth weight for GA demonstrate catch-up cognitive functioning by 2 years of age.
  • No significant decrements in academic functioning are evident by kindergarten.
  • Early life growth parameters do not appear to predict long-term academic achievement in this cohort.
Abstract

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