Quality of Life, Emotional and Behavioral problems in Full-Term Small for Gestational Age Infants at Preschool Age

Abstract

Objective: To determine the emotional, behavioral, and developmental problems and quality of life of children born as Term Small for Gestational Age (SGA) in the preschool period, and to compare them with children born as term appropiate for gestational age (AGA).Method: This study conducted as a prospective case control study. Term SGA babies who were followed up in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were taken in the study group, while babies born with term AGA were taken in the control group. All participants’ parents filled the Sociodemographic form, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Pediatric Quality of Life Scale (PedsQL) and were asked questions to complete the ADSI by expert psychologists.Results: 20 SGA (63 months ± 7 months) born term and 20 AGA (59 months ± 8 months) born term children were taken in the study group. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of gestational age, gender, and age at the outpatient clinic. Social problems were significantly higher in the SGA group (p = 0.014). The school functionality score (SchFS) was found to be significantly lower in the SGA group (p <0.01). In the developmental evaluation, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups.Conclusion: The long-term follow-up of term SGA patients is important, as inadequate recognition or inadequate treatment of the disorders that may arise may cause impairment not only in the quality of life and psychiatric condutions of the patients, but also in their ability to adapt to the society.Key words: Chondroblastoma, lower extremity, pain.