Physiologic Handicaps of the Premature Infant

The Prognosis of Immaturity

“…The fact that most of the intelligence quotients are below 100 suggests that a large number of them may have been in a slight degree mentally handicapped. Levine and Gordon (1942), in a study of great interest on the physiological handicaps of the immature infa-nt, point out that the tendency to haemorrhage is due not only to the persistence of the foetal type of capillaries (the archicapillaries of Capper) and the deficiency of vascular elastic tissue, but also to the fragility of the immature capillaries, the low prothrombin content of the plasma, the low body reserves of vitamin C, and the damaging effect of anoxia on capillary integrity. Tow (1944) is of the opinion that most of the cerebral injuries inflicted on the immature child are due to cerebral anoxia.…”

“…The amount of disagreement is disconcerting; the investigators can be ranged, in Itwo groups-those who consider that the ultimate prognosis is on the whole good, and those who take a more gloomy view. Among the optimists are Hess, Gesell (1933), Mohr and Bartelme (1930), Levine andGordon (1942), andComberg (1927). (With the exception of Comberg's work all these studies were carried out on American children.)…”

Protein Requirements of Infants: 3. The Nutrition of Premature Infants

“…t'kg., day during the period corresponding to the thirty-second to fortieth weeks of gestation (see Table 1). Levine and Gordon (1942) have used 6-0 g. 'kg. /day and it may be advantageous to give these large amounts to provide for a specific need for individual amino acids.…”

Oxygen Chemoreceptors in Low Birth Weight Infants

“…The apnea and periodic breathing observed in low birth weight premature infants have been attributed to immaturity of the chemoreceptors [9]. Most studies of chemosensitivity to altered oxygen tension in these infants have tended to confirm this conclusion.…”