OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between developmental status of international adoptees at the time of entry into the United States and their nutritional status and concurrent medical problems. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING/PATIENTS: One hundred twenty-nine internationally adopted children attending the International Adoption Clinic at the Floating Hospital for Children, Boston, Mass, underwent detailed developmental assessments, anthropometric measurements, and medical examinations. RESULTS: The anthropometric measurements of the international adoptees were below the means for weight, height, and head circumference based on standards of the World Health Organization. Only 65 children (50%) were developmentally normal. Gross motor delays were identified in 43 children (33%), fine motor delays in 52 (40%), language delays in 23 (18%), cognitive delays in 21 (16%), and global delays in 18 (14%). The severity of delays were related to z scores for weight, height, and head circumference. The 36 children with medical problems had lower z scores compared with healthy children and were more likely to have delayed development. CONCLUSIONS: Careful developmental and growth screening of internationally adopted children at entry into the United States identifies adopted children at entry interventions and close follow-up. Longitudinal studies of internationally adopted children may provide evidence about the reversibility of growth and developmental delays, findings applicable to any environmentally deprived child.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between developmental status of international adoptees at the time of entry into the United States and their nutritional status and concurrent medical problems. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING/PATIENTS: One hundred twenty-nine internationally adopted children attending the International Adoption Clinic at the Floating Hospital for Children, Boston, Mass, underwent detailed developmental assessments, anthropometric measurements, and medical examinations. RESULTS: The anthropometric measurements of the international adoptees were below the means for weight, height, and head circumference based on standards of the World Health Organization. Only 65 children (50%) were developmentally normal. Gross motor delays were identified in 43 children (33%), fine motor delays in 52 (40%), language delays in 23 (18%), cognitive delays in 21 (16%), and global delays in 18 (14%). The severity of delays were related to z scores for weight, height, and head circumference. The 36 children with medical problems had lower z scores compared with healthy children and were more likely to have delayed development. CONCLUSIONS: Careful developmental and growth screening of internationally adopted children at entry into the United States identifies adopted children at entry interventions and close follow-up. Longitudinal studies of internationally adopted children may provide evidence about the reversibility of growth and developmental delays, findings applicable to any environmentally deprived child.
Authors: Anita J Fuglestad; Michael K Georgieff; Sandra L Iverson; Bradley S Miller; Anna Petryk; Dana E Johnson; Maria G Kroupina Journal: Matern Child Health J Date: 2013-08
Authors: Maria G Kroupina; Liza Toemen; Musa M Aidjanov; Michael Georgieff; Mary O Hearst; John H Himes; Dana E Johnson; Bradley S Miller; Aigul M Syzdykova; Toregeldy S Sharmanov Journal: Matern Child Health J Date: 2015-06