When we talk about premature babies, we come across the terms “chronological age” and “corrected age”, but many do not know what they mean. So let's explain them: Chronological age is the actual age that the baby is, that is, the time of his life after birth.
Already Corrected age is the age adjusted to the degree of prematurity, that is, how many months old the baby would be if he had been born after 40 weeks.
Why use age corrected?
Once the baby was born early, we cannot charge him with the same rate of development as a baby born at a normal time. Therefore, the premature baby will take longer to sit, crawl, speak or walk.
After all, premature babies are “younger” than their actual age shows.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that premature infants are subjected to several adverse situations while still in the ICU, which can also influence their growth pattern.
Therefore, when using the corrected age, we more adequately assess the baby's physical, mental and behavioral development.
Normally, developmental differences tend to disappear during the first three years of life, but some babies may show this in the long term. Therefore, it is important to keep follow-up with the pediatrician.
Until when should I use the corrected age?
Most authors recommend using the corrected age up to 2 years of age, so that parents can have a realistic expectation, without demanding too much from the baby in the face of reference standards.
For preterm infants born weighing less than 1 kg and less than 28 weeks, however, it is recommended to use the corrected age up to 3 years.
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Source: prematurity.com
