Consequences of neonatal pathology

Summary Three groups of babies have been studied. (1) A follow-up study on fifty-one of fifty-five infants born in Children's Hospital has been made and resulted in forty-five found to be developing normally and six being handicapped. (2) Of twelve infants admitted to the hospital with diseases that might produce central nervous system sequelae, 50 per cent were found on follow-up to be handicapped. (3) The birth records of eighteen children in the cerebral palsy clinic, born at Children's Hospital, were studied. In nine, or 50 per cent, there was no evidence in the nursery that the infants would be handicapped. Prematurity, blood dyscrasias, and infection played the major role in handicapping the infants in this series. A full-term baby with a good prenatal history is a robust individual and tends to recuperate fully from the stress of being born, even when this is prolonged and traumatic. This series of cases is small; it is hoped more studies of this type will be done.