Relations between infant neurobehavioral performance and cognitive outcome in very low birth weight preterm infants.

Full Abstract

The predictive utility of three aspects of neonatal neurobehavioral performance was examined in 144 very low birth weight (< 1500 g) preterms who were followed until 6 years of age. Visual-following and auditory-orienting composites derived from the Einstein Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale were modestly related to the Mental Developmental Index (MDI) and IQ scores at several ages, whereas the active motility composite was only related to MDI scores at 1 year of age (corrected). Infants who showed deviant performance on both visual following and auditory orienting composites had significantly lower cognitive test scores at 1 and 6 years of age and were more likely to be classified as subaverage at 6 years of age (IQ < 85). Group differences were independent of both neonatal health status and motor scores and were not due to the performance of children with severe sensory impairments. These findings suggest that visual following and auditory orienting measured in the neonatal period can offer a useful way of indexing initial capacities.

Author information

Author/s: Wallace, I F (IF); Rose, S A (SA); McCarton, C M (CM); Kurtzberg, D (D); Vaughan, H G (HG);

Affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, 10461, USA.

Grants: HD 01799 (Agency:NICHD NIH HHS) ; HD 20435 (Agency:NICHD NIH HHS) ; NS 19748 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP (J Dev Behav Pediatr), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1995-Oct; vol 16 (issue 5) : pp 309-17

Dates: Created 1996/02/27; Completed 1996/02/27; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 8557830, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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