126: Abilities of children who were small for dates at birth and whose growth in utero was measured by ultrasonic cephalometry

Abstract

A follow-up study of 51 babies less than the 10th centile of weight at birth. All were born at term. The children were seen at a mean age of 5·1 years and assessed on the McCarthy Scale of Children's Abilities. In analysing the data, the children were divided into four groups according to when slow growth was first seen by ultrasonic cephalometry : before 26 weeks menstrual age; between 24 and 36 weeks; after 34 weeks; and a group in whom slow growth was not seen. The results were analysed by Student's t test. The first group had a significantly lower mean on the General Cognitive Index when compared to the other groups combined. The mean of the first group was also significantly lower on the following subscores: perceptual-performance; motor; quantitative; and memory. There Were no differences on the verbal subscale. An earlier follow-up at a mean age of 4·3 years showed that those children with slow growth before 34 weeks were shorter, lighter and had a smaller head circumference. Prolonged slow growth in utero is associated with lower abilities later in childhood.