Follow-up of pre-term infants: is correction of the developmental quotient for prematurity helpful?

Developmental quotients, measured on the Griffiths' scales, of 114 preterm infants of less than 34 wk gestation are compared with abnormal neurological findings at 1 yr of cerebral palsy, dystonia, and motor delay. The developmental quotient (DQ) uncorrected for prematurity more readily distinguishes the abnormal infant than the corrected DQ. It is recommended that while developmental follow-up still uses scales originally standardised on older preterm and full-term infants the uncorrected developmental quotient is also used. Ideally normative data on the preterm infant should be compiled as a basis for assessing development in these infants.