The Relationship between Small for Gestational Age (SGA) at Birth and Developmental Delay in Children Aged 4 to 60 Months

Abstract

Background Progress in medical science and success in increasing the survival rate of vulnerable infants have raised the issue of future development in these children. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between small for gestational age (SGA) status at birth and developmental delay in children aged 4 to 60 months. Materials and Methods This study was a correlation descriptive through a multistage sampling method on 419 Iranian children aged 4 to 60 months who attended healthcare centers affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Healthcare Services, Iran. Data collection tools included a data collection checklist and the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASG). The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 18.0). Results The results showed that 83 (19.8) of 419 children in the study, had developmental delay and 336 (80.2) had normal development. Comparison of developmental domains between the two groups of children based on birth weight, showed that there was a significant relationship between the birth weight of children and developmental delay in the domain of fine movements (p = 0.02, r=0.81), problem solving (p = 0.02, r= 0.73), and the total score (p =0.02, r= 0.87). In addition, the Chi-square test showed a significant relationship between small for gestational age (SGA) status at birth and developmental delay in children (p = 0.001). Conclusion Given the relationship between birth weight and developmental disorders, special attention to the birth weight of infants and performing regular care during pregnancy and afterwards for SGA children can prevent many developmental problems.