Characteristics at four months follow-up of infants born small for gestational age: a controlled study

This prospective study compared 65 small-for-gestational-age (SGA) (birth weight < 3rd centile) and 71 control infants at a corrected age of 4 months. It was hypothesised that differences would exist in growth, development, temperament and minor neurological signs and that these would be predicted by type (proportional/disproportional) of growth restriction at birth and maternal mood disturbance at birth or at 4 months. Infants had a Griffith's developmental test and neuromotor assessment. Maternal mood and infant temperament were surveyed. Few differences were found between SGA and control infants. SGA infants showed catch-up growth with 63% being above the third percentile and 43% being above the tenth percentile for weight. SGA infants had lower Griffith's GQ scores (97 vs. 102, P = 0.02) and they were rated in temperament as more manageable than controls. There were no differences in subtle neuromotor signs. Neither type of SGA nor maternal mood disturbance at birth had prognostic significance for infant catch up growth, neuromotor scores, or temperament though level of maternal stress and anxiety at 4 months were related to lower GQ scores in SGA infants.