Twin-twin transfusion syndrome: neurodevelopment of infants treated with laser surgery.

Objective: To assess the neurodevelopmental functions of survivors of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) treated by fetoscopic laser coagulation (FLC), during the first year of life, comparing them to a control group; and to verify the influence of specific variables on neurodevelopment.

Method: This was a prospective, longitudinal study. The sample comprised 33 monochorionic diamniotic twins who underwent FLC for treatment of TTTS and 22 full-term infants of single-fetus pregnancies.

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome: neurodevelopmental screening test.

Objective: To assess the neurodevelopmental functions (cognition, language and motor function) of survivors of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).

Method: Observational cross-sectional study of a total of 67 monochorionic diamniotic twins who underwent fetoscopic laser coagulation (FLC) for treatment of TTTS. The study was conducted at the Center for Investigation in Pediatrics (CIPED), Universidade Estadual de Campinas.

Comparison of motor and cognitive performance in infants during the first year of life.

Purpose: To compare motor and cognitive performance in infants with typical development in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months after birth.

Methods: This was a repeated-measures study with unequal sample sizes in the follow-up periods, comprising 94 infants born at term. Infants with genetic syndromes, malformations, congenital infections, or hospitalized in intensive care units were excluded.

Limitations of the Neurological Evolutional Exam (ENE) as a motor assessment for first graders.

Background: many clinicians and researchers in Brazil consider the Neurological Developmental Exam (NDE), a valid and reliable assessment for Brazilian school-aged children. However, since its inception, several tests have emerged that, according to some researchers, provide more in-depth evaluation of motor ability and go beyond the detection of general motor status (soft neurological signs).

Objectives: to highlight the limitations of the NDE as a motor skill assessment for first graders.

Agreement between scales for screening and diagnosis of motor development at 6 months.

Objective: To ascertain the degree of agreement between a score for screening and another for diagnosis of motor development in 6-month old infants and to define the most appropriate cutoff point for screening.

Methods: A sectional study, enrolling asymptomatic full term newborns with gestational ages from 37 to 41 weeks, who were discharged from the maternity unit 2 days after birth and are resident in the Campinas area. Infants were excluded if they presented genetic syndromes, malformations, congenital infections, intensive care admission or low birth weight.