Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the school preparedness of children with low birth weight. 96 children at the age from 66/12 to 76/12 with the birth weight from 1001 to 2499g, including 61 born prematurely and 35 born in term with intrauterine hypotrophia, were recruited to the study. Children from both groups were examined by a physician, psychologist and underwent anthropometric analysis. Furthermore, the analysis of the perinatal and neonatal period was performed. On the basis of the information collected from the parents we obtained the data concerning the socioeconomic status of the family, parents education and the frequency of respiratory tract infections in children with low birth weight. The obtained results show, that unexpectedly high percentage of seven-year-old children presented the retardation of somatic development. Their mental development represented by intelligence quotient was satisfactory. However, marked were the differences of IQ distribution between the two groups. The lowest and the highest values of IQ were obtained by prematurely born with low birth weight. 4.9% of them were children mentally impaired. Harmonious rhythm of intellectual development and visual-motoric perception was disturbed in both groups with similar frequency (20-30%). The behavioral problems (emotional immaturity, psychomotor hyperexcitability) often occured and seem to be responsible for the retardation of the school preparedness.

Keywords: low birth weight, physical/psychical development