Development of your premature baby: Birth to 2 years

If you're the new parent of a premature baby - a baby born before 37 weeks - you may have spent the last few days, weeks, or even months living every minute, focusing on weight, measurements, and tests.

But as things settle down, you may start thinking more about what you and your baby can expect in the next two years.

Most premature babies grow up to be healthy babies. They tend to keep pace with full-term babies in their growth and development at around 3 years of age.

However, your baby's early years may be more difficult than those of a full-term baby. Because they are born before they are ready, almost all premature babies need extra care. They are more likely to have health problems and delays at an early age, and sometimes later.

What affects growth and development?

How long ago were they born? In general, the earlier your baby is born, the more likely it is that he will have long-term problems affecting his growth and development.

Doctors divide premature babies into groups based on their age at birth:

Late preterm: 34 weeks to less than 37 weeks
Moderately preterm: between 32 and 34 weeks
Extremely preterm: less than 32 weeks
Extremely preterm: 25 weeks or less

Late premature babies tend to quickly catch up with full-term babies. Babies born before this date may develop more slowly and have delays. Extremely premature babies are more likely to have severe and long-term disabilities.

Birth weight. The less your baby weighed at birth, the more likely it is that he will have health problems that can affect his growth.

If they have other health problems. Premature babies are more likely to have medical problems, such as infections or problems with the heart, lungs, or intestines. Doctors can treat these problems, and some of them go away as your child grows. They can further slow your child's growth and development. Your child may take longer to develop strength.

How complicated treatment was in the hospital. If your baby has spent a lot of time in the neonatal intensive care unit and needs special care, they will likely need more time to develop.

Stages of development

Doctors and parents track development by noting when children learn key skills such as smiling, rolling over, or crawling. You and your doctor can compare this to the average age at which children reach these milestones.

Keep in mind that the age at which babies should reach milestones is always a rough estimate, even for term babies. And when you look at a developmental milestone chart, you should use your child's adjusted age, not their actual age. Your baby's corrected age is based on your due date.

If you want to do the math yourself, subtract the number of weeks they were born prematurely from their current age. For example, if your baby is 18 weeks old but was born 8 weeks premature, his adjusted age would be 10 weeks.

If you want to follow the development of your premature baby, always use your baby's adjusted age for milestones until at least 2 years of age. By this time, most premature babies have caught up, so it is usually acceptable to use their actual age instead.

As your child grows: Tips for parents

Watching your child develop and grow over the next 2 years will be exciting and maybe a little stressful. Follow a few simple tips that will help you not to overwork.

Remember that premature babies are different from full-term babies. Your baby may be more restless and not respond to you in the same way as a full-term baby. They may have more trouble sleeping during the night. Most premature babies outgrow these problems within the first year of life.
Don't worry too much about milestones. No child develops on a precise schedule. If your child doesn't reach a milestone on time, it's usually not a cause for concern.
Focus more on progress than specific goals. Do not get hung up on the exact age when your baby will reach this or that milestone. Instead, look at the achievements they make. All babies chat before they say their first word. They will get up before they can walk. For the first 6 months, they gain about 500 grams per month. As long as your child is moving forward in their development, this is important.
Keep your own notes. While your doctor will pay close attention to your child's growth, it's wise to keep your own written records. This is a good way to catch something out of the ordinary beforehand. You will also enjoy the opportunity to look back and see how far you have come.
Team up with your child's medical team. Premature babies need special care, especially in the first few years. The best way to make sure your child is on the right track is to see your child's doctor and other specialists regularly. They can identify any problems as they develop so your child can get the help they need.
Get help if you need it. Talk to your child's doctor about the government's Early Intervention program. It offers special services for infants and toddlers (under 3 years old) who are at increased risk of developmental delay or disability.