Of 308 surviving children, born at 25 or fewer weeks of gestation in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 283 (92%) were examined at a median age of 30 months, and results reported from the School of Human Development, University of Nottingham, UK. Mean scores on the Bayley Mental and Psychomotor Developmental Indexes were 84 and 87, respectively. Nineteen percent (53 children) had severely delayed development (>3 SD below the mean), and 11% (32) had scores from 2 SD to 3 SD below the mean. Ten percent had severe neuromotor disability, 2% were blind, and 3% were hearing impaired. Overall, almost 50% were disabled, boys more than girls. [1]
COMMENT. In a large cohort of extremely preterm infants evaluated at a mean age of 2 and 1/2 years, one half of all survivors had a disability involving mental and psychomotor development, neuromotor function, or sensory and communication function. One quarter were severely disabled. Of those with abnormal motor function, 75% were diagnosed with cerebral palsy.