Predictive value of neonatal neurological examination: a follow-up study at 18 months.

From a cohort of 1507 infants in the Perinatal Project at University Hospital, Groningen, 80 infants who had been neurologically abnormal in the neonatal period and 80 controls were neurologically re-examined at 18 months of age. Of the 80 abnormal infants, one had died at age three months and 13 other remained abnormal at 18 months, of whom five had severe neurological dysfunction. Two of the control infants had mild abnormalities at 18 months. The rate of false negative results was low, but there was a high rate of false positive results, indicating a high frequency of transient neonatal morbidity. This study demonstrates the sensitivity of the neonatal neurological examination in selecting newborn infants who are in special need of attention.