Premature Infant Growth Disorders That Often Occur

Babies born prematurely or prematurely experience many challenges early in life. Not only that, there is also a risk of developmental disorders of premature infants to watch out for. Premature births are births that occur prematurely. In other words, premature babies are born before the 37th week of gestational age. Premature babies, especially those born very early, are very at risk of experiencing health problems. But apparently, it is now known that almost all premature babies, including those born in the 34th to 36th weeks are equally at risk.

Calculating the age of premature babies

The rate of growth and development of each child is different, both in babies born normally or prematurely. It's just that there are benchmarks of normal growth and development that parents should know. For the growth and development of premature babies, most pediatricians give advice to measure age-adjusted. Age adjustment is done by calculating the distance between the age of birth with the actual day of birth (HPL), then reduce the age of the baby by the number obtained. For example, a four-month-old baby born 8 weeks early, his growth and development must be adjusted to the age of 4 months minus 8 weeks. Then the baby's actual age will be known is 2 months. So the benchmarks of infant development that we follow are 2-month-old babies. If the premature baby is 12 months old, the growth and development is adjusted to the age of 12 months minus 8 weeks.

Growth Disorders in Premature Babies

There are several risks of long-term growth and development for preterm infants to watch out for, including:

• Hearing and vision

It is known, some premature babies born weighing less than 1.5 kg have hearing loss due to problems in the ear or brain. There is also a higher risk of developmental disorders for premature infants, namely hearing loss. Premature babies also have a risk of premature retinopathy, which is a condition that causes blood vessels to swell and cause abnormalities in the nerve lining in the retina of the eye. This can cause the retina to escape from its normal position which, if not handled properly, can cause blindness.

• Language skill

Many studies have found language development disorders in premature babies with or without low birth weight compared to babies born to normal. Most premature babies experience language problems during the first few years since birth, including understanding sentences, expressing themselves through language, word processing, articulation (pronunciation), and others. However, that does not mean that all premature babies will surely experience growth and development disorders in language and speech skills. An important step that can be anticipated is to monitor the progress of growth and development and consult a pediatrician for further treatment.

• Psychomotor and behavior

Research in schools compares children 7-8 years old who were born before 32 weeks' womb with children of normal birth age. The results show that children born prematurely have more motor disturbances, even though their intelligence is normal. In addition, babies born prematurely have a tendency to behave hyperactively, are more impulsive, attention is easily distracted, less organized, and less persistent. Likewise, the risk of premature children having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is higher than for children who are born normal.

• Cognitive ability

Studies indicate that children born prematurely have a risk of learning disabilities at primary school age. Some of the problems faced include disturbances using language as a way of expression, difficulty focusing, and also weaknesses in motor visual and spatial visual intelligence.

• Emotional development

Based on a study, adolescents born at the womb before 29 weeks have more emotional problems with parents, teachers, and peers. Children born prematurely also have a higher risk of being difficult to adapt to the environment, and dealing with stress.

To minimize the risk of premature growth and developmental disorders and maximize growth and development, regularly check with a pediatrician.