Ill-health in families of infants with low rate of weight gain.

Abstract

The present work investigated ill-health in 52 families of infants admitted to hospital with low rate of weight gain. Ill-health is measured as annual days of sickness cash entitlement, which is registered for all citizens within the state compulsory insurance scheme, with no waiting period. In the 34 families with infants having a weight gain outside the -2 S.D. limit there was a clear overrepresentation of fathers with high annual number of days of sick leave. The chief reasons for sick leave were skeletomuscular diagnoses. Comparisons are made with 18 families with infants having low rate of weight gain but within the -2.S.D. limit and 72 control families. Mothers of infants with subnormal increments tend to have more health problems than the other groups, but the differences are small. This can be explained by the use of the parent's cash benefit which covered the mothers during 210 days of the observed period, and by the differences in income between mothers and fathers. It is concluded that ill-health is overrepresented in families with infants presenting subnormal weight gain.