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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

School-age outcomes of extremely preterm or extremely low birth weight children

Esther A Hutchinson1, Cinzia R De Luca, Lex W Doyle

  • 1Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

Pediatrics
|March 20, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Extremely preterm (EP) or extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors show higher rates of neurobehavioral impairments at age 8. Despite medical advances, these children continue to face significant cognitive, academic, and behavioral challenges compared to normal birth weight peers.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal research
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Extremely preterm (EP) and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants face significant risks for neurodevelopmental deficits.
  • Monitoring long-term neurobehavioral outcomes is crucial for understanding the impact of modern neonatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes at age 8 years in a cohort of EP/ELBW children.
  • To compare these outcomes with a term/normal birth weight (T/NBW) control group.
  • To identify the prevalence and nature of neurobehavioral impairments in EP/ELBW survivors.

Main Methods:

  • A regional cohort of EP/ELBW children born in Victoria, Australia, in 1997 was established (n=317 live births, 201 survived to 2 years).
  • A control cohort of 199 term/normal birth weight (T/NBW) infants was recruited.
  • Cognitive, academic, and behavioral assessments were administered at age 8 years.

Main Results:

  • The EP/ELBW group demonstrated poorer performance in IQ, educational achievement, and certain behavioral domains compared to the T/NBW group, even after adjustments.
  • The rate of any neurobehavioral impairment was significantly higher in the EP/ELBW group (71% vs 42%).
  • Approximately half of the EP/ELBW subjects experienced multiple neurobehavioral impairments.

Conclusions:

  • The high rate of neurobehavioral impairment in EP/ELBW survivors persists despite advances in neonatal care.
  • There is a continued need for improved interventions and support for these vulnerable children to mitigate long-term deficits.
Abstract

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