From Medscape: (Reuters)

Anemia at 8 Months Predicts Developmental Delay at 18 Months

WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) May 21 - Motor development at 18 months of age
is delayed if, at age 8 months, hemoglobin levels are 95 g/L or less,
British researchers have found.
Using the Griffiths Scales of Mental Development, Dr. Andrea Sherriff, of
the University of Bristol, and colleagues assessed the development of 1141
children at 18 months of age. As reported in the June issue of the Archives
of Disease in Childhood, blood hemoglobin levels were measured at ages 8, 12
and 18 months of age, with at least 788 samples available at each time
point.
Mean scores of locomotor performance increased significantly as hemoglobin
levels increased from 70 to 95 g/L. Scores leveled off at higher hemoglobin
concentrations, then dipped when hemoglobin exceeded 150 g/L. Dr. Sherriff's
group notes that the finding of low scores associated with high hemoglobin
is new, but that it should be interpreted with caution because it is based
on only three children.
The association between hemoglobin level and locomotor development remained
significant after adjustment for gender, maternal parity, breast feeding and
maternal education.
Because hemoglobin scores at 12 and 18 months bore little relationship to
outcome at 18 months, the authors suggest that, if screening is performed,
it should be done before 8 months of age. They recommend a cutoff for
intervention of 95 g/L hemoglobin.
Arch Dis Child 2001;84:480-485.
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Anna Swisher
Austin, TX

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