Sensorineural hearing loss and language development following neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hearing loss in school-age children who have undergone neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment and to identify any effects of hearing loss on speech- and language development [corrected] .

Design: Prospective longitudinal follow-up study within the framework of a structured post-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation follow-up program.

Setting: Outpatient clinic of a level III university hospital.

Early developmental assessment of children with major non-cardiac congenital anomalies predicts development at the age of 5 years.

Aim: the aim of this study was to evaluate cognitive and motor development in children with major congenital anomalies and the predictability of development at age 5 years.

Method: a prospective, longitudinal follow-up study was undertaken. The Dutch version of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development - Mental Developmental Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI) - were administered at the ages of 6, 12, and 24 months.

Motor-function and exercise capacity in children with major anatomical congenital anomalies: an evaluation at 5 years of age.

Background: Children with major anatomical congenital anomalies (CA) often need prolonged hospitalization with surgical interventions in the neonatal period and thereafter. Better intensive care treatment has reduced mortality rates, but at the cost of more morbidity.

Aim: To study motor-function and exercise capacity in five-year-old children born with CA, and to determine whether motor-function and exercise capacity differ according to primary diagnosis.

A prospective comparative evaluation of persistent respiratory morbidity in esophageal atresia and congenital diaphragmatic hernia survivors.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to compare long-term respiratory morbidity in children after repair of esophageal atresia (EA) or congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Patients And Methods: Children were seen at 6, 12, and 24 months and 5 years within a prospective longitudinal follow-up program in a tertiary children's hospital. Respiratory morbidity and physical condition were evaluated at all moments.

Interdisciplinary structural follow-up of surgical newborns: a prospective evaluation.

Background: Information on physical and developmental outcomes of children with anatomical congenital anomalies (CAs) may indicate the need for early intervention and reduce impact on the child's life and parental burden.

Methods: From 1999 to 2003, 101 children with CA (76.5% of initial survivors) were seen 6-monthly in a tertiary children's hospital.

Motor performance in five-year-old extracorporeal membrane oxygenation survivors: a population-based study.

Introduction: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a cardio-pulmonary bypass technique to provide life support in acute reversible cardio-respiratory failure when conventional management is not successful. Most neonates receiving ECMO suffer from meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), sepsis or persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPH). In five-year-old children who underwent VA-ECMO therapy as neonates, we assessed motor performance related to growth, intelligence and behaviour, and the association with the primary diagnosis.

Telephone helpline for parents of children with congenital anomalies.

Aim: This paper is a report of a study to evaluate how often and for what reason parents of children born with severe anatomical congenital anomalies use a 24-hour telephone helpline, and to identify differences between callers and non-callers.

Background: Children born with severe congenital anomalies often remain dependent on medical care and technology after discharge. Adequate medical consultation in the home situation may lower parental burden.

Impact of a child with congenital anomalies on parents (ICCAP) questionnaire; a psychometric analysis.

Background: The objective of this study was to validate the Impact of a Child with Congenital Anomalies on Parents (ICCAP) questionnaire. ICCAP was newly designed to assess the impact of giving birth to a child with severe anatomical congenital anomalies (CA) on parental quality of life as a result of early stress.

Methods: At 6 weeks and 6 months after birth, mothers and fathers of 100 children with severe CA were asked to complete the ICCAP questionnaire and the SF36.

Follow-up of newborns treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a nationwide evaluation at 5 years of age.

Introduction: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a supportive cardiopulmonary bypass technique for babies with acute reversible cardiorespiratory failure. We assessed morbidity in ECMO survivors at the age of five years, when they start primary school and major decisions for their school careers must be made.

Methods: Five-year-old neonatal venoarterial-ECMO survivors from the two designated ECMO centres in The Netherlands (Erasmus MC--Sophia Children's Hospital in Rotterdam, and University Medical Center Nijmegen) were assessed within the framework of an extensive follow-up programme.