The EEG of the early premature.

EEGs were taken of 33 premature babies of 27-32 weeks of conceptional age who were considered normal for their conceptional age by clinical criteria. The EEGs were divided into epochs of 1 min each and their characteristics of temporal and spatial organization as well as amount and distribution of special patterns were coded and analyzed. The records were mostly discontinuous, with synchronous and symmetric bursts. There was much rhythmic activity in all frequencies and some patterns were consistently asymmetric. At least one pattern, the sawtooth, seems to be characteristic of this early conceptional age. Follow-up EEGs and clinical examinations were done on 17 children at 6-8 months of age post term. Three more died before 6 months and on one a telephone report was obtained from the mother. The characteristics of the neonatal EEGs were compared with those published on smaller groups of early prematures and those on later premature babies.