Welche Therapien erhalten sehr kleine Frühgeborene bis zum Vorschulalter in Deutschland?

Very low birth weight infants (birth weight <1500 g, VLBW) have an increased risk for developmental delays. There are few data whether and which kind of therapy these VLBW infants receive during infancy. As part of a multicentre study in Germany (GNN, starting 2009) VLBW infants are followed up at 5 years of age. Parents were asked which kind of therapies their children received after initial discharge from hospital (physical, occupational, speech therapy, early intervention programs). 267 children participated until the time of data analysis. VLBW children born in 2009 with and without follow up were comparable regarding gestational age, birth weight, incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and intraventricular haemorrhage. Most children received therapies during their first year of life, frequency of therapies declined until the third year of life to increase again until their fifth birthday. VLBW infants with severe postnatal complications or higher degree of immaturity received more therapies. VLBW children with mental or psychomotor problems at 5 years of age received more therapies. Emigrational background did not influence the frequency of therapies. The higher the maternal education, the more therapies the children received. Former VLBW infants received many therapies during their first years of life. Frequency of therapy was correlated to the degree of immaturity and to severe postnatal complications. Former VLBW children with mental or psychomotor delay were identified early and received more therapies until preschool age. The lower the maternal education the less therapies the children received.