Neonatal physiologic jaundice and visual-motor development at age six years

Recognizing that kernicterus and other forms of brain damage result from high levels of neonatal bilirubinemia, the study sought to determine whether or not a relationship exists between hyperbilirubinemia at levels below 20 mg, %, or those of physiologic jaundice, in full-term, otherwise healthy, infants and visual-motor developmental scores at age six years. The study also described perinatal, familial, and environmental background of the study population in terms of various demographic factor So The study population consisted of 24 white children. Variables were highest total serum bilirubin levels recorded as neonates and scores on the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration administered at six years of age. None of the attempted correlations between newborn total serum bilirubin levels and visual-motor developmental test scores demonstrated a statistically significant relationship, Scores on individual items of the developmental test were also examined. It was noted that the item testing directional confusion was failed at a higher frequency than other items, though not significantly higher than might be expected in the general population. From the study, recommendations for statistical recognition of a multiplicity of perinatal and environmental factors as they may be related to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and subsequent development are offered.