Perinatal and Early Postnatal Factors Underlying Developmental Delay and Disabilities

Abstract

A delay in meeting developmental milestones may be secondary to perinatal events, involving complicated interactions between mother and fetus during delivery. Maternal factors including weight, diet, and morbidities can affect neonatal adaptation and later development. Prematurity, low birth weight, and previous intrauterine insults as well as complications during delivery of a previously normal fetus increase the risk for perinatal stress. In this article, the literature on perinatal and early postnatal factors that underlie risks for developmental delay and disabilities is reviewed. Studies that concern neuroprotective therapies and prediction of long-term neurologic outcome by clinical examination, neuroimaging techniques, and electroencephalographic studies are reviewed as well.

Early Intervention for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: An Update

“…foetal and post‐natal infections, peri‐ and post‐natal neurotoxins and trauma, in utero exposure to alcohol, drugs or environmental chemicals) (see McDermott et al . ; Diav‐Citrin ; Ergaz & Ornoy ; Sansavini et al . ), and corresponding developmental patterns take many forms.…”

“…Moreover, the general population of children with developmental delays is highly heterogeneous with many different aetiologies (e.g. foetal and post-natal infections, peri-and post-natal neurotoxins and trauma, in utero exposure to alcohol, drugs or environmental chemicals) (see McDermott et al 2007;Diav-Citrin 2011;Ergaz & Ornoy 2011;Sansavini et al 2011), and corresponding developmental patterns take many forms. Despite the fact that more and more genetic causes of children's delays are being identified (Mefford et al 2012), a precise cause for a substantial number of children cannot yet be established with a reasonable degree of certainty.…”

Polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation can improve specific language impairment in preschool children: a pilot study

“…During this period, the human brain is maturing, which makes it the most critical period for developing language skills. Several factors pose a risk of language and cognitive delays via the impairments of brain development [1,5]. Nutritional deficiencies are among those risk factors especially in developing countries [6].…”

RAMSES : a robotic assistant and a mobile support environment for speech and language therapy

“…Maternal factors including weight, diet, and morbidities can affect neonatal adaptation and later development. Prematurity, low birth weight, and previous intrauterine insults as well as complications during delivery of a previously normal fetus increase the risk for perinatal stress [2]. Some of the most common speech and language disorders are the following [3]:…”