ABSTRACT

Premature children suffering consequences of their early birth do not grow out of them, and new difficulties may appear as they mature. The sum of negative influences from the time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, eventual problems with interaction, and later a defective or delayed development, can cause continuous problems for premature children. These children can however be protected if we initiate the necessary support. An early effort can prevent the typical consequences of pre-term birth, so that the children will have quite a normal childhood. If the minor difficulties are identified, it is possible to take care of them before they develop into huge problems, and that is just the purpose of this book: to give parents, and professionals close to the child, a possibility to prevent, repair, and rebuild. Born Too Early does not deal with the more usual handicaps but exclusively with the less visible consequences of pre-term birth, which are rarely diagnosed.

chapter One|29 pages

The disadvantaged start

chapter Two|62 pages

Short-and long-term consequences

chapter Three|42 pages

Prevention and possible treatment methods

chapter Four|20 pages

Requirements for provision of public support

chapter Five|4 pages

Professionals involved in family support

chapter Six|7 pages

Parents and siblings

chapter Seven|23 pages

Case histories

chapter Eight|23 pages

Research