Growth and development of symmetrical and asymmetrical full-term children born small for gestational age

doi:10.19538/j.ek2017100612

Abstract：Objective To find the difference in growth and development of children between full-term symmetric growth restriction (FSGR) and full-term asymmetric growth restriction(FAGR) through a general investigation of children born small for gestational age in Shanghai.Methods This general investigation covered all children under 6 years old in Shanghai.Data on growth were retrospectively obtained from medical records.The P10 of birth head circumference/birthweight of the same gestational age and gender was used to distinguish FSGR and FAGR.Results The sample contained 10 188 full-term SGA children among whom 8049 were FAGR and 2139 were FSGR.Up to 3 years old,both FSGR and FAGR failed to catch up in weight,height,head circumference and chest circumference.Growth restriction in FAGR was more serious.Significant difference could be seen in weight (t =-3.412,P =0.001) and chest circumference (t =-2.526,P =0.012) between FSGR and FAGR at 3 years old.Regarding growth speed,the growth rate of weight (t =6.272,P ＜ 0.001),height (t =9.143,P ＜0.001),head circumference (t =6.063,P ＜ 0.001) and chest circunference (t =6.617,P ＜ 0.001) were higher in FAGR 6 months after birth,while there was no difference after that.The BMI of FAGR was significantly lower than FSGR before 2 years old.The proportion of children in danger of being overweight was significantly higher in FSGR (P ＜ 0.001).Conclusion Both FSGR and FAGR experience catch-up growth after birth,but not enough to catch up with normal children at 3 years old,especially in head circumference.In spite of severer growth restriction,the cath-up growth model of FAGR is superior to FSGR.The proportion of children in danger of being overweight is significantly higher in FSGR.