[Effect of the hypotrophy factor on the prognosis of the development of premature and newborn infants from the neurologic and psychologic viewpoint].

Neurological and psychological examinations have been conducted of prematurely born babies in good bodily condition and hypotrophic new-born infants (including control groups) as part of a not yet concluded longitudinal study. The hypoplastic premature infants showed a comparatively high proportion of statomotor retardation and neurological disturbances, which were also found in premature infants in good bodily condition with a pregnancy duration of 26-30 weeks. Cerebral motor disturbances were found primarily in hypoplastic new-born babies and especially in premature infants. The EQ (development quotient) for the premature infants in good bodily condition with a pregnancy duration between 26 and 30 weeks, and for the hypoplastic premature infants was lower than for other high-risk groups. These two groups were also responsible for the larger proportion of children showing light and medium psychic retardation. Behavioral peculiarities were, however, distributed also over other high-risk groups, and some were even more frequent there. It was also found that speech development was delayed. The study shows the necessity of following the development of high-risk babies and using individual therapies.