Attention deficit worse mobility and less habituation to the environment are neurological disorders that affect infants with low birthweight. For infants with mild forms of low weight, which accounted for up to 10% of pregnancies were considered so far under the normal, “constitutionally small” but without risks.
However, according to research Spanish, these babies are neurological immaturity at birth. In our country, this situation affects about 4% of children. One for each classroom.
To date, the risk of neurological development was only taken into account in less than 1% of babies. This is the percentage of children born with severe forms of growth and, indeed, are under surveillance because they generally correspond to premature births. Neurodevelopmental disorders affect 10% of all children. Two thirds of these abnormalities could explain illnesses or problems during fetal life, although the identity of these is poorly understood. Some of neurological disorders that affect low-weight babies, compared with the capacities of infants with normal weight, are attention deficits, less habituation to the environment and less mobility.
A real problem
A study conducted by researchers at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona and the Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) evidence that the risk of neurodevelopmental delay is possible even when current tests are normal control. This study questions the usefulness of echo-Doppler of umbilical artery, a technique that analyzes the characteristics of flow in blood vessels and tissues, used to differentiate a fetus with growth restriction and one that is real small, but not neurodevelopmental problems.
The researchers, who published the study in the journal Pediatrics, called for a new type of tests that can detect these babies at risk. Furthermore, the results confirm the hypothesis suggested for years by experts of the Hospital Clinic: a part of neurological disorders in children can be explained by mild forms of low weight.
For work, the researchers compared the neurological abilities of 100 babies during pregnancy had a normal weight, with 102 infants “small for gestational age, a diagnosis which defines mild forms of growth retardation. The technique used for the test was Scale Neonatal Behavioral Assessment (NBAS). It is a test that assesses neurological capacities of newborns: care, mobility, response to visual or auditory stimuli, adaptation to the environment and control act.
Infants with lower weight obtained worse results in all categories analyzed. These deficiencies researchers suggest that children suffer delayed neurological maturation, with important implications for future cognitive and sensory development, especially in school stages and adolescence. Experts conclude that, if we can identify as early as possible to these babies at risk from low weight, could prevent further problems. This stresses the importance of special programs for early detection and intervention, and to stimulate their neurological development from the first months of life.
Weight factors
The IUGR-children weigh less than they would be weighed by the length of gestation, differs from the most common cause of small size and low weight: prematurity (a characteristic that occasionally can be a time) . Low birth weigh is the main factor in neonatal mortality and health problems long term, not only in developmental disabilities and learning disorders.
Several factors may result in delayed fetal growth: babies with congenital or chromosomal abnormalities are often associated with low birth weight, and also the problems of the placenta, which can prevent the supply of oxygen and nutrients are adequate to the fetus, or certain infections during pregnancy such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, or syphilis.
Other risk factors in the mother can contribute to this limitation on weight: previous multiple pregnancy, poor nutrition, heart disease or hypertension, smoking, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, lead exposure, inadequate prenatal care and be under 17 years or over 35.
Prenatal Care
Prenatal care to detect the weight restriction is very important, since few women experience any symptoms. The most common is simply a feeling by the mother that the baby is not as big as it should be. This forces the doctor to carefully measure your abdomen during each prenatal visit. If the measures do not increase sufficiently in time, it is likely that the mother must undergo an ultrasound test, a test that can determine more precisely the gestational age of the baby and whether or not growth restriction. On ultrasound the third quarter, should be evaluated in detail if growth is adequate.
In some cases, the risk factors that lead to the birth weight restriction can be identified from the beginning of pregnancy, reduced or eliminated through behavioral changes and treatment of chronic diseases. While no specific treatment is important to maintain adequate nutrition during pregnancy.
BENEFICIAL BREAST
Those affected by a low birth weight children are often irritable and have difficulty sucking properly during breastfeeding, so that mothers give up breast-feed soon. However, it is very beneficial for them and should be encouraged. The mother may feel anxious and worried, since the task is more complicated, but we must maintain constant contact with the baby-touching, caressing and talking, so it contributes not only affection, a vital stimulus for lactation.
The mother, before the taking, you can start pumping, so that when the baby is already starting quantities of milk, that will facilitate the initiation of suction. Breast milk in low birth weight is very important: not only have fewer infections and complications, but also improve their growth.<
Brazelton TEST
Brazelton test assesses neurocognitive functions of the baby from the first days of life and discusses issues such as short-term memory, attention span, or irritability. The Clinic team investigated whether imaging techniques like MRI or ultrasound may help us diagnose infants born with a neurological developmental disorder