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AIMS--To examine the relation, based on two types of questionnaires, between (1) chronic lung disease of the newborn (CLDN) and lower respiratory illness (LRI) in siblings, and between (2) CLDN and asthma, chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD), or allergy in parents and grandparents. METHODS--Data from 209 children born before 32 weeks of gestation were randomly taken from the records of three neonatal units. Taking into account age and gender, the excess of LRI was calculated for each family compared with the average of all families. Subsequently whether CLDN was associated with an excess of LRI in the family was tested. RESULTS--Thirty one (14.8%) children were diagnosed as having CLDN. The family probability index for LRI did not differ between children with or without CLDN. The prevalence of COPD, asthma, and allergy in parents of children with CLDN was similar to that of children without CLDN. The prevalence of LRI was 18.1% in study children, 29.6% in children with CLDN, and 16.9% in children without CLDN (P < 0.01). These prevalences were higher compared with that of a group of term siblings (9.3%) (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS--These findings suggest that CLDN in preterm children is not related to a genetic or familial predisposition towards asthma, COPD, or allergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore changes in motor and cognitive outcomes in very preterm (VP; gestational age<30weeks) born children between ages five and six years, and to determine whether changes in these outcomes were associated with the use of healthcare therapies and educational provisions.Study Design: Single-center observational cohort study. Five-year-old VP born children of a one-year-cohort of our neonatal follow-up program (N=90) were invited for re-assessments at age six. Use of healthcare therapies and educational provisions was registered at ages five and six years. Motor function (Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 [M-ABC-2]; higher scores indicate better functioning) and IQ (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale for Intelligence [WPPSI-III-NL]) were assessed at both ages.Results: Sixty-four VP born children were seen at ages five and at six years. In this year, 61% received healthcare therapies and/or educational provisions. M-ABC-2 scores of VP born children who received healthcare therapy and/or educational provisions were significantly higher (M=8.9 [SD=3.2]) at age six years than at age five years (M=7.5 [SD=3.3]); p<0.00). M-ABC-2 scores remained stable in the average range in VP born children without any support. IQ scores remained stable irrespective of received support.Conclusions: Improvements in motor outcomes are associated with the use of healthcare therapies and/or educational support between ages five and six years in VP born children. Future studies need to determine the efficacy of existing interventions, and to develop tailored interventions to support VP born children in the transfer period from preschool to primary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]