Effect of Newborn Hospitalization on Family and Child Behavior: A 12-Year Follow-up Study

Abstract

Objective. To study the effects of a critical illness and hospitalization of a newborn on family functioning and child behavior during the subsequent 12 years. Methods. With the use of a randomized stratified cluster sampling, a follow-up of 1443 pregnant women was started at early pregnancy. These pregnancies resulted in 1294 deliveries. A total of 170 infants were admitted to neonatal units and were classified according to their medical risk, and 1112 healthy-born infants were eligible for the control group. After excluding the children with disabilities at 3 years of age, 134 remained in the risk groups and 952 children remained in the control group. The follow-up examinations were performed at the ages of 3 and 9 months and at 3 and 12 years. The main outcome measures were parents’ subjective well-being and adjustment to the child, family functioning, and child’s behavioral problems. Results. The families with a critically ill newborn experienced more need for support and maladaptation during the first year after delivery. They reported more child behavior problems at 3 years, but no differences were found at 12 years of age. The families with a hospitalized, low-risk infant coped as well as the controls. Conclusions. A critical illness of a newborn had long-lasting effects on the family and child behavior. The hospitalization of a newborn with a low medical risk did not have any negative consequences on family or child behavior. This is encouraging for a large group of families that experience early separation from their newborn infant as a result of hospitalization.