A nine-year follow-up of 116 children born consecutively in 1971-74 with a birthweight of 1 500 g or less showed that 59 had died. Of those who were alive, four had severe motor and/or mental handicaps and three were blind because of retrolental fibroplasia. The low birthweight children without severe handicaps were found to have impaired motor function, speech defects and impaired school achievement more often than the controls. There was a significant correlation between the test results at the age of five and nine years, which indicates that children with school failure can be recognized and early remedial treatment started before school or on starting school.

SUMMARY Background factors of developmental outcome in a group of 386 neonatal ‘at‐risk’ infants and 107 controls were examined in a prospective nine‐year follow‐up study. Dichotomized outcome variables were computed for each of the assessments; neurodevelopmental, motor, psycholinguistic, cognitive and school progress. In the study group, 17 to 29 per cent were found to have significant problems, compared with 10 to 17 per cent of the control group. Children with low birthweight, neonatal neurological symptoms or several neonatal disorders were found to have most problems at the age of nine years. In stepwise logistic regression analyses, smallness for gestational age, neonatal signs of cerebral depression and low social‐class were found to be the most significant predictors of neurodevelopmental problems at age nine. Factors suggesting intra‐uterine hypoxia or poor nutrition were also associated with developmental problems. The background pathology of the neonatal conditions seemed to be of more importance than the neonatal manifestations themselves. RÉSUMÉ Les facteurs d'environnement du devenir développemental dans un groupe de 386 nourrissons “à risques” néo‐nataux et 107 contrôles ont été examinés durant une étude longitudinale prospective de neuf ans. Les variables dichotomisées du devenir ont été calculées pour chacune des évaluations: neurodéveloppementale, motrice, psycholinguistique, cognitive et d'efficience scolaire. Dans le groupe d‘étude, 18 à 29 pour cent ont été trouvés avec des problémes significicatifs, comparés aux 10 à 17 pour cent du groupe contrôle. Les problèmes à l’âge de neuf ans ont été essentiellement rencontrés chez les enfants de faible poids de naissance, ayant présenté des symptomes neurologiques néo‐nataux, ou plusieurs troubles néo‐nataux. Dans une analyse de régression logistique á seuil, la petite taille pour l‘âge de gestation, les signes néo‐nataux de dépression cérébrale et la classe sociale défavorisée se sont révélés les prédicteurs les plus significatifs de problèmes neurodéveloppementaux à neuf ans. Des facteurs suggérant une hypoxie intrautérine ou une mauvaise alimentation, étaient aussi associés à des problémes de développement. L'environment pathologique des conditions néo‐natales parait plus important que les manifestations néo‐natales elles‐mêmes. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Neonatale Risikofaktoren und spätere neurologische Entwicklungstörungen In einer prospektiven Verlaufsstudie über neun Jahre wurden bei 386 neonatalen Risikokindern und 107 Kontrollen die ursächlichen Faktoren für den Entwicklungs‐Outcome untersucht. Für jede der folgenden Untersuchungen wurden zwei Outcome‐Variablen berechnet; Fortschritte im neurologischen, motorischen, psycholinguistischen, kognitiven und Schulleistungsbereich. In der Studiengruppe hatten 17 bis 29 Prozent signifikante Probleme verglichen mit 10 bis 17 Prozent in der Kontrollgruppe. Kinder mit niedrigem Geburtsgewicht, neurologischen Symptomen in der Neonatalperiode oder verschiedenen neonatalen Storungen hatten die meisten Probleme mit...

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To cite this article: Marjatta Parre (1987) Articulatory error in a group of children with neonatal risk factors, Early Child Development and Care, 29:1, 55-59,The present study is a part of a multidisciplinary research project in order to follow up a group of infants who neonatally had been at risk. It studies reports on the articulatory errors in children born in 1971 and 1972 and investigated at the age of five years at the Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki. The results show that children with neonatal risk factors had more articulatory errors than a control group. The articulatory errors were more common in children with neurodevelopmental disturbances.