Effects of Premature Birth Felt into Adulthood

My son was born 2 months early (almost 16 yrs ago) and now he is over 6 ft tall and a big strapping boy ! I worked very hard to stimulate him pysically and mentally from the beginning. He is now in 10th grade and doing very well. I was very blessed to have been able to stay home with my kids and be able to devote 24 hr. care and stimulation to them. When I mention it to his teachers that he was a preemie they are always shocked. If you stimulate them and feed them very healthy foods and devote your life to their overall well being its amazing what your preemie can become :)

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I have to disagree with this study simply because it does not apply to all preemies. My daughter weighed 1 1/2 pounds at birth and has always been very healthy. She had chicken pox in the second grade but other than that she's been fine. Going through school she was in the gifted programs and now in college she carries a 4.0 GPA in accounting. The only problem I have seen in her is the fact she came into this world costing us a lot of money and still does.

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My mother is almost 56 years old and was born 3 months early. Her younger brother was born 2 months early and both barely weighed much at all. Both have had almost perfect health all the way through their lives and are still extremely healthy and strong (physically, mentally, emotionally). I do know there are exceptions to every rule, but in the 1950's for children to be born early and not have all the extra programs that children have today and still come out on top is pretty significant. I hope and pray that more children who are preemie's can have this kind of life when they get older.

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This article is about premature babies. Why on Earth did they choose a picture of a baby who looks like he'd be able to kick his way out that Isolette?

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I disagree with this, my son was 8 weeks premature, he has asthma, allergies, ADHD. He cannot hold down a job and quit school. He is a very bright and intelligent 20 year old. Nothing we have done stimulation, counseling has helped him, he just floats through life.

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Thank you for an interesting article, although I do have to ask some serious questions about the validity of the study, as in the support systems the parents sought/had to help them, the positive outlook of friends and family, and everyone's ability to cope, to nuture, and to ask questions. I am not saying parents are at fault, but this is one of the most overwhelming situations parents can find themselves in, and without the parental stability and abilities, it is even more difficult.

I have two sons, one 27, who was born 3 months early, weighing 2 lb. 2 oz., and one born six years later, 2 months early, weighing 4 lbs. Like others responding to this article, we read everything we could get our hands on re: premies, asked thousands of difficult questions and listened carefully to the answers, and then saw to it our sons saw the care providers they needed, got the well-child checks they needed, and were surrounded by a warm, loving, supportive group of family and friends. Today, they are wise, caring, confident young men . . . college graduates, working hard, and giving back to their communities.

Not everyone is as fortunate as we were during the very difficult early years, but we did everything we could to ensure our sons' success as infants.

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Your daughter was one of "Lucky Ones" most preemies have trouble the rest of their lives!!! My son was born 1lb and 15 ozs
he was cp on all four sides(not spastic) developmentally delayed,preceptively impaired greatly,ADD,asthma and from being on oxygen for one month to sustain his life, at 17yrs old his retina tore on one eye. After many operations to save his sight, another retina tore on his other eye, and 1 week before his 21st birthday he was totally blind!!! I think that there are more of my stories out there than yours!!!

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I had 3 preemies ranging between 28 weeks and 32 weeks. All went to college. I have a lawyer daughter, a teacher daughter and a son, who is a well to do businessman. None had learning difficulties, all are socially fine, and none had abnormal illnesses after they reached 1 year and were full sized. My smallest at 2.6 pounds is now the tallest of all my girls at 5'4". This is pure hype to scare parents that have had, or will have preemies. I must ad, that I did lose one preemie at 28 weeks that only weighed 2 pounds 10 oz, but that was 38 years ago and now there are so many advances.

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Having gone to URI and getting a BSN long ago, I am happy to see someone from the faculty recognized for her work! I also had a preemie, a girl born at 31 weeks. She was caught up totally by the time she was a year old and has never had the problems mentioned. We were more than lucky! I have to say though, that the picture of the baby in the isolette just isn't a preemie...looks as if it weighs about 12 pounds, no preemie shaped head...fills the isolette! At least they could have used a real preemie! I vote we get him/her a pair of Nikes and walk him home!

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My son was born prematurely 3 yrs ago at 30 weeks. He was 3lbs 9oz at birth and is now 31lbs. He was born with a condition that is passed on genetically called hyperphenalanemia or hyphe for shor which is a form of PKU. In his case it may have been a gene mutation but we were never tested so we don't know. My husbands cousin was 29 weeks and was a little over 2lbs at birth. He is now 29 and doing fairly well for himself. My mother in law was born prematurely over 50 yrs ago and she is a tech who does hearing tests on newborn babies and preemies. She came home in a shoe box and was told she most likely wouldn't survive. I know of other preemie's who do have many problems all stemming from prematurity. It will be interesting to see where this research will take us.

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My kids were too small for cabbage patch clothes ... let's use a real preemie in the isolette please. Thank you! :o) I'm sure there are lots of pics that preemie parents want to share!

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As a pediatric physical therapist, I have worked with many preemies, and I beleive that many do remarkably well. They can often use a little help in the beginning but many seem to catch up. The Early Intervention program is a wonderful program that provides therapy and educational services to infants that have disabilities or are considered to be "at risk" for developmental problems. The success of this program is well documented and services are usually provided at no cost to the families, however, this program now is in serious jeopardy. Budget cuts are tearing away at its core. Please contact your legislators and ask that this vital program be spared. Log on to United early intervention providers and join the fight to help save this program.

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My son was born at 27 wks and 5 days(3 mths early). He was 3 lbs at birth. He was always over the 100% in the growth chart. He began reading at 3 and a half. He is now 7, 72lbs and 4 ft. 5 inches tall. He is in the gifted program. He has been playing piano for over a year and has won many trophies in music competitions. I do believe its different in each case but I have to say that I know a few premies and they definitely have faired very well.

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Interesting story but why show a picture of a seemingly healthy chunky baby? My daughter was 24wks gestation and only 1lb2.4oz vastly different from the fat baby depicted.

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i was almost 22 wks when i was born weighing 1 lb 13 oz then dropping to less then 1lb. i did not have many problems early on however i am now 22 yrs old and i have more health problems than anyone i know, one of which being my pancreas . the study above however does state some very true things that i have noticed throughout my life.

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My daughter was born 3 and a half months early and has no problems at all due to being born so early. I am greatful for the medical advances that kept her alive.

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