Mothers' Reports of Their Low Birth Weight Infants' Subsequent Development on the Minnesota Child Development Inventory

Abstract

Advanced medical care has resulted in improved prognosis for normal functioning of low birth weight infants, but this population remains at risk for developmental disabilities. Thirty-four children who were born weighing less than 1,800 grams were assessed between ages 2½ and 5 years on the Minnesota Child Development Inventory (MCDI), the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, the Stanford Binet, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary test; up to 5O° of the sample were perceived by their mothers as being delayed in gross motor, fine motor, and personal-social development. Mothers' reports on the MCDI were significantly related to children's scores on objective cognitive tests. Developmental delays were related to birth weight, perinatal complications, frequency of medical follow-up, marital status, and physical exam during preschool. Sex and Apgar ratings were not related to delays in development. It was concluded that the mother's report of her child's development on the MCDI greatly facilitated the developmental screening process.