Neurodevelopment of small-for-gestational age infants: behavioral aspects in first year

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Behavior
• Infant Development
• Neonatal Studies

Background:

• Small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants may experience altered developmental trajectories.
• Understanding behavioral differences is crucial for early intervention and support.
• Full-term infants are typically categorized as SGA or appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the behavior of full-term SGA infants with full-term AGA infants during the first year of life.
• To identify specific behavioral patterns associated with SGA status in infancy.
• To utilize the Behavior Rating Scale (BRS) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II for behavioral assessment.

Main Methods:

• Prospective evaluation of 68 infants at 2 months, 67 at 6 months, and 69 at 12 months.
• Utilized the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II, focusing on the Behavior Rating Scale (BRS).
• Compared behavioral item scores between SGA and AGA infant groups.

Main Results:

• SGA infants exhibited significantly lower mean Raw Scores in multiple behavioral items including "predominant state," "liability of state of arousal," "positive affect," "soothability," "energy," "exploration," and "orientation."
• A trend toward differences was noted in "negative affect," "hypersensitivity," and "adaptation to change."
• Lower BRS scores were associated with the SGA group by the 2nd month of life.

Conclusions:

• Full-term SGA infants demonstrate specific behavioral differences compared to AGA infants in the first year.
• These behavioral variations, particularly evident early on, may impact developmental outcomes.
• Early identification of these behavioral patterns in SGA infants is important for targeted developmental support.