complications
Last reviewed 01/2018
Today, of the 80% of low birth weight infants that survive, roughly 7% are handicapped, with the following abnormalities seen:
- cerebral palsy
- sensory neural hearing loss
- IQ of less than 70 (intelligence is rarely purely reduced)
- delayed visual maturation, with retinopathy of the newborn
- multiple minor disorders
Less obvious complications include psychosocial morbidity, including maltreatment and failure to bond.