Skuse D, Pickles A, Wolke D, Reilly S
Behavioural Sciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, London.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1994 Mar;35(3):521-45. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1994.tb01738.x.
For many years it has been suspected that severely impaired somatic growth during early postnatal life can be associated with the subsequent impairment of mental abilities. This study aimed to test that hypothesis on the basis of data gathered from a prospective whole population survey of infant development in south London. A year's birth cohort of 1558 full-term singletons was monitored; 47 otherwise healthy cases with serious growth faltering in the first year were recruited. Mental and psychomotor abilities were assessed at 15 months. Potentially confounding psychosocial variables, including cognitive stimulation received at home, were measured contemporaneously. A statistical model was constructed that enabled the timing, duration and severity of growth faltering to be used as predictors of mental functioning. Up to 37% of the variance in cognitive and psychomotor outcome at 15 months can be explained by the model. The first few postnatal months appear to constitute a "sensitive period" for the relationship between growth and mental development.
多年来，人们一直怀疑出生后早期严重的身体生长受损可能与随后的智力发育受损有关。本研究旨在根据从伦敦南部婴儿发育的前瞻性全人群调查收集的数据来验证这一假设。对1558名单胎足月儿的出生队列进行了为期一年的监测；招募了47例在第一年出现严重生长发育迟缓但其他方面健康的病例。在15个月时评估其智力和心理运动能力。同时测量了可能产生混淆的社会心理变量，包括在家中接受的认知刺激。构建了一个统计模型，该模型能够将生长发育迟缓的时间、持续时间和严重程度用作心理功能的预测指标。该模型可以解释15个月时认知和心理运动结果中高达37%的方差。出生后的头几个月似乎构成了生长与智力发育之间关系的“敏感期”。
