ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY FOR SMALL GESTATIONAL AGE INFANT

A premature infant's development may be slower than babies who were born full-term. Most of the time, development problems go away as your baby catches up or outgrows them.

Growth: This may be affected by poor feeding and nutrition problems. Babies born too early may have problems with sucking and swallowing, and controlling their tongue. If these problems are not managed, your baby's body may have a hard time growing. Heart and lungs: Your baby may be born with less than normal development of his heart and lungs. This may cause problems in his blood supply or breathing. Motor system: This body system controls how your baby's muscles grow and how his muscles work. At birth, your baby's limbs are often kept extended, unlike full-term babies whose arms and legs are often bent. Skills such as sitting, walking, running, and talking may develop later. His movements may seem awkward and random. Neurodevelopment: This is also called brain development. This may be affected by diseases, infections, or poor nutrition. Injury to the brain may lead to other problems with hearing, eyesight, and learning. Social development and interaction: Your baby's ability to respond to things he sees and hears may be slower than other children. This may include seeing and knowing family members and smiling back at them.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY FOR SMALL GESTATIONAL AGE INFANT

Prematurity and growth

Premature babies start small, and although they do tend to catch up as they get older, children born very prematurely still tend to be smaller and lighter than normal babies. However, as our knowledge of nutrition continues to develop, and with extra supplements available to support premature babies' dietary needs, this may change. As premature babies develop through childhood and adulthood, it becomes harder to know which of their traits and characteristics are a result of premature birth rather than other factors. As your child was born prematurely, he will be considered in a high risk group for developmental problems and he is likely to have more assessments of his progress than a term baby would. This is because early detection and diagnosis of any potential problems is key to prevention. Many low-birthweight babies and their families are invited to attend follow-up or neurodevelopmental clinics so that the healthcare team can assess the baby's progress and intervene early where treatment is needed. Where possible specialty services will be co-ordinated so that you do not have to attend many appointments. Follow-up visits will also be scheduled during the first years of his life. As well as looking at how your baby is developing, the healthcare team will regularly check his weight, head circumference and height (also known as length) to make sure he is growing as expected.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY FOR SMALL GESTATIONAL AGE INFANT

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY FOR SMALL GESTATIONAL AGE INFANT