The persistence and predictive value at 3-5 years of age of three signs detected within the first 18 months of life were investigated: phasic stretch reflex in one or both gastrocnemius muscles, imbalance in passive axial tone with an excess of dorsal extension, and a ridge on the squamous sutures. Phasic stretch reflex and at least one of the other signs were found in 14 children during repeated assessments within the first 18 months. The progress of these children was compared with that of 14 matched controls who had repeatedly normal neurological assessments during the first 18 months in the same clinic in Paris. At the age 3-5 years all the children were then assessed blindly by the second author from a pediatric neurological viewpoint and by two psychologists and two psychomotor therapists as well. The parents of the affected children reported significantly more problems in motor/praxis skills, language development and attention. Abnormal neurological signs were also significantly more frequent than in the controls. Suboptimal cognition did not reach significance. The neurological inclusion criteria were still present at 3-5 years old in 86% (vs. respectively 100% and 93% during the first 18 months of life) of this small group of children, while the cranial suture sign was still present in only 28% (vs. 64%). Findings of these three signs during the first 18 months of life may help in predicting long-term neurobehavioral or long-term neuropsychological problems.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Electroencephalographic study of a case of neonatal herpes encephalitis (author's transl)].

This report describes the serial E.E.G. changes occurring over 6 weeks in a particularly interesting case of neonatal herpes encephalitis commencing on the 13th day of life. Atypical periodic complexes occurred briefly on the fifteenth day and disappeared on the 21st day. These focal complexes were less characteristic than those seen in the older child or adult. On the 27th day E.E.G. activity disappeared contrasting with the preservation of organised sleep recognised by polygraph studies using ocular movement, respiration and chin tonus. At 2 months the child no longer was conscious, E.E.G. activity totally absent but sleep organisation persisted with intense ocular motility.

Electroencephalography↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hyaline membrane disease in neonates treated with artificial ventilation: neurological and intellectual sequelae at two to five years of age.

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Birth Weight↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The lecithin-sphynogomyelin ratio in the amniotic fluid in insulin dependent diabetic pregnancies].

A delay in the pulmonary maturation of the foetus of diabetic mothers assessed by the lecithin-sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio has been reported (2, 3, 5). A suggestion has been raised that the results of the L/S ratio should be viewed with caution in predicting lung maturity in pregnancies complicated by maternal diabetes (8). We report our findings on 52 insulin-dependent diabetic pregnancies which involved 90 estimations of the L/S ratio on the amniotic fluid. In all cases, the L/S ratio accurately reflected lung maturity, as no hyaline membrane disease (HMD) was observed with a L/S ratio greater than 2. There was no significant difference in the proportion of mature fetal lung between insulin-dependent diabetics and controls for each week of pregnancy between 32 and 38 weeks. There is no statistical difference in the mature L/S ratio between classes B + C and D + F diabetics.

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMedDate not supplied