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Growth, health, and development after neonatal gut surgery: a long-term follow-up
Insights
Neonatal gut surgery, especially with resection, can impede growth. Children undergoing gut resection require individualized monitoring for developmental delays and potential neurodevelopmental issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Neonatal Care
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Neonates undergoing gut surgery face potential growth and developmental challenges.
- Gut resection in newborns is associated with higher risks compared to surgery without resection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present growth and development data for children who survived immediate newborn gut surgery.
- To identify risks associated with gut resection versus other gut surgeries in neonates.
Main Methods:
- Follow-up data collected on 19 children post-neonatal gut surgery.
- Analysis of growth parameters (height, weight) and psychometric testing results.
- Comparison between children with and without gut resection.
Main Results:
- Children with gut resection showed a higher incidence of delayed height and weight gain.
- Most children in the gut-resected group had abnormal psychometric testing results.
- Perceptuomotor defects were noted in older children who had gut resection.
Conclusions:
- Individualized care and serial follow-ups are crucial for neonates undergoing gut resection.
- Early psychometric evaluation around age 6 is recommended for children with a history of gut resection to facilitate timely intervention.
Abstract:
Growth and development data on 19 children who survived gut surgery in the immediate newborn period are presented. The follow-up period ranges from seven months to seven years six months, with a mean of three years eight months. Neonates who undergo gut resection are at a higher risk for delay in height and weight gain compared to those who have gut surgery without resection. Six of the 12 children who had gut resection showed delay in height gain and seven showed delay in weight gain. Of the seven children who had gut surgery but no resection, only one showed delay in height and weight gain after the age of 1 year. An individual approach and careful serial follow-ups are recommended for all children undergoing gut resection in the newborn period. Of the eight children who had psychometric testing in the gut-resected group, only two are normal. Three of the four older children in this group show signs of perceptuomotor defects, suggesting the need for subtesting such children at about 6 years of age so that remedial help, if necessary, may be provided when formal schooling begins.