Very Low Birthweight: A Long-term Developmental Impairment?

Abstract

Research with very low birthweight (VLBW) infants (≤isoog) may be broadly categorised into product and process studies. Recent product-oriented outcome studies are reviewed from the perspective of whether VLBW infants born since 1975 (when intensive care methods became relatively stabilised in effectiveness) show behavioural problems, intellectual impairment, linguistic or social deficits.Process studies examining cognitive, social and contextual variables, differentiating VLBW and normal birthweight infants, and thought to compromise long-term outcome are then discussed.It is argued, in the light of the conflicting evidence, that future studies need to: (1) exert greater control over the medical and psychological variables confounded with low birthweight, including the variable of social class; (2) study outcome from a life-span perspective, examining the possibility of an intergenerational cycle for at least some families; and; (3) incorporate both systems-oriented and transactional models into their designs, for the purpose not only of predicting outcome, but also ultimately for providing the most appropriate types of support for these infants.