Pediatria pre prax 1/2005

CAUSES OF REHOSPITALIZATIONS OF INFANTS WITH VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT DURING THE FIRST YEARS OF LIFE

Pediatricians in the community nowadays need more often to help effectively to families of infants with very low birth weights. Some more or less specific diseases may be involved in later development of these premature infants. The most frequent manifestations of that kind are bronchopulmonary dysplasia, apnea, anemia, gastrooezophageal reflux, constipation, persistent ductus arteriosus, inguinal hernias, failure to thrive and/or growth failure, cerebral palsy, retinopathy of prematurity and some other sensorial disturbances. The knowledge of these long-term consequences of prematurityenables to anticipate them and leads to early diagnosis.

Keywords: prematurity, long-term consequences, rehospitalization.