Neurological maturation in the first semester of life in small for gestational age infants

Abstract

Our aim was to evaluate the acquisition of neuropsychomotor development marks in small for gestational age infants during the first six months of life. A non-controlled cross-section study with thirty full-term newborn small for gestational age infants was performed in a University Hospital in the Southern region of Brazil. These infants were followed up during six months and compared with literature data regarding adequate to gestational age newborn babies. Anthropometric data, epidemiologic characteristics, neurological exam and neuropsychomotor evolution were analyzed. There were significant variations in the acquisition of abilities, as the cephalic support at 3 months of age and delay in lalation. In other aspects, babies born small for gestational age evoluted in a similar way as newborn ones standards. It is suggested that case control studies are performed aiming at deepening the analysis of these studies.