[Degree of prematurity in some forms of infantile cerebral palsy].

The author discusses the problem of prematurity as a criterion of developmental degree in a group of children with diparetic and extrapyramidal forms of infantile cerebral palsy. In the group of diparetic form premature babies born in the 7th month of pregnancy with birth weight below 1700 g prevailed, while in the extrapyramidal form babies born in the 8th month of pregnancy with birth weight above 2000 g were most frequent. This suggests that the development of the diparetic form of infantile cerebral palsy is due to earlier action of the pathogenetic factor. Among the aetiological factors causing the extrapyramidal form in premature babies asphyxia was the most frequent one. This may indicate that changes observed in kernicterus are due primarily to hypoxaemia. In conclusion the author states that premature babies born in the 7th month of pregnancy face mainly the danger of diparesis, while in those born in the 8th month the extrapyramidal form of infantile cerebral palsy is more frequent.