Longitudinal analysis of head growth in low-birth-weight children according to their chronological and gestational age.

Head growth in 283 LBW (< 2500 g) children was longitudinally analyzed from birth till the 24th month of life. The studied children were divided into three groups: AGA preterms (181 children), SGA preterms (32 children) and S-f-D newborns (70 children). The data for chronological age and corrected for gestational age were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance and Duncan's test. Means of head circumference were plotted against percentile charts for boys and girls respectively. Considering the chronological and corrected age, a different course of head growth in preterms was observed. According to chronological age, the head circumference in AGA and SGA preterms reached in the second year of life a higher percentile position than at birth. After correction of the data to gestational age the mean values of head circumference in two groups of preterms were placed at a lower percentile position than at the time of birth. The group of S-f-D newborns presented the highest velocity of head growth: in the 2nd year of life the mean head circumference in this group reached a higher growth level than at birth.