Objective: To investigate whether mild neonatal hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) in term born infants is associated with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation and death up to 6 years of age.Design: Population‐based cohort study.Setting: Sweden, 2009–2015.Population: Live term born infants without congenital malformations or chromosomal abnormalities (n = 505 075).Methods: Birth and health data were retrieved from Swedish national health and quality registers. Mild HIE was identified by diagnosis in either the Swedish Medical Birth Register or the Swedish Neonatal Quality Register. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Main outcome measures: A composite of the outcomes cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation and death up to 6 years of age.Results: Median follow‐up time was 3.3 years after birth. Of 414 infants diagnosed with mild HIE, 17 were classified according to the composite outcome and incidence rates were 12.6 and 2.9 per 1000 child‐years in infants with and without HIE respectively. Infants with mild HIE was four times as likely to be diagnosed with the composite outcome (HR 4.42, 95% CI 2.75–7.12) compared with infants without HIE. When analysed separately, associations were found with cerebral palsy (HR 21.50, 95% CI 9.59–48.19) and death (HR 19.10, 95% CI 7.90–46.21). HRs remained essentially unchanged after adjustment for covariates.Conclusions: Mild neonatal HIE was associated with neurological morbidity and mortality in childhood. Challenges include identifying infants who may develop morbidity and how to prevent adverse outcomes.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate whether children with cerebral palsy (CP) had equal access to timely physiotherapy. Additionally, to learn more about clinical characteristics of infants with CP, we explored differences in neonatal clinical history and CP profile between children referred by a neonatologist or enrolled in neonatal follow-up and those referred by other healthcare professionals as well as those referred before and after 5 months corrected age. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review study including children born in Uppsala County, Sweden, from 2010 to 2016, who had received a CP diagnosis by July 2019. Entries by doctors and physiotherapists working at Uppsala University Children’s Hospital were reviewed. Results: Thirty-eight children were included (21 girls, 55.3%) in the study. Twenty-two (57.9%) were born at term. Twenty-five children (66%) had their first visit to a physiotherapist before 5 months corrected age, and this included all children (n = 22, 57.9%) referred by a neonatologist or enrolled in neonatal follow-up. The latter group had significantly earlier access to physiotherapy compared to children referred by other healthcare professionals, with a median of 1.9 (min-max: -1-4) and 7.6 (min-max: 1–24) months, respectively (p < 0.0001). Referral source explained unique variance in predicting time of referral to physiotherapist (R² 0.550, B 4.213, p < 0.0001) when controlling for both number of risk factors and severity of motor impairment. However, number of risk factor was vital for early access to physiotherapy for children referred by other health care professionals. Children referred by a neonatologist or enrolled in neonatal follow-up or referred before 5 months corrected age differed on all measured variables concerning neonatal clinical history and CP profile, compared to children referred by other healthcare professionals or after 5 months corrected age. The latter groups had milder forms of CP. In total, twenty-eight children (73.7%) were ambulatory at 2 years of age. Bilateral spastic CP was most common among those referred by a neonatologist or enrolled in neonatal follow-up or referred before 5 months corrected age, while unilateral spastic CP was most common among those referred by other healthcare professionals or after 5 months corrected age. Conclusion: Infants with CP have unequal access to timely physiotherapy, and children considered at low risk for CP receive therapy later. Neonatal follow-up of infants considered at high risk for CP that involves an assessment of motor performance using an evidence-based method during the first months of life corrected age seems to be effective in identifying CP early. Conversely, measuring milestone attainment seems to be a less reliable method for early identification. To provide safe and equal care, all professionals performing developmental surveillance should receive proper training and use evidence-based assessment methods. Physiotherapy should be available prior to formal medical diagnosis.

Objectives Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is related to poorer educational outcomes among children and adolescents. Evidence on this association into adulthood is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether probable DCD (pDCD) in childhood affected educational outcomes among adults, and whether this was affected by sex or a co-occurring attention deficit in childhood. Design Register-based longitudinal cohort study. Setting Neonatal intensive care (NIC) recipients born at Uppsala University Children’s Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden, from 1986 to 1989 until they reached the age of 28. Participants 185 NIC recipients. Primary and secondary outcome measures At the age of 6.5, 46 (24.6%) of the NIC recipients were diagnosed with pDCD. Using register-based longitudinal data, we compared participants with and without pDCD in terms of: (1) age at Upper Secondary School (USS) graduation, and (2) highest level of education achieved by age 28. Results The median age at USS graduation was 19 years, with similar graduation ages and ranges between those with or without pDCD. However, a higher proportion of participants without pDCD had graduated from USS at ages 19 and 24. By age 29, most participants had completed USS. At age 28, 33% of participants had attained a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Although there was no significant difference between the groups, the proportion that had attained a degree was higher among those without pDCD and women without pDCD had achieved the highest level of education. Educational outcomes remained similar for those with pDCD, regardless of childhood attention deficit. Conclusions pDCD during childhood may have a lasting impact on educational outcomes, particularly among women. Raising awareness of DCD among parents, health and educational professionals is vital for early identification and the provision of appropriate support and interventions in schools, mitigating the potential negative consequences associated with DCD and promoting positive educational outcomes.

Multiple neurodevelopmental problems affect 7–8% of children and require evaluation by more than one profession, posing a challenge to care systems. The local problem comprised distressed parents, diagnostic processes averaging 36 months and 28 visits with 42% of children >4 years at referral to adequate services, and no routines for patient involvement. The co-design project was developed through a series of workshops using standard quality improvement methodology, where representatives of all services, as well as parents participated. The resulting integrated care model comprises a team of professionals who evaluate the child during an average of 5.4 appointments (N = 95), taking 4.8 weeks. Parents were satisfied with the holistic service model and 70% of children were under 4 at referral (p < 0.05). While 75% of children were referred, 25% required further follow-up by the team. The Optimus model has elements of vertical, clinical and service integration. Reasons for success included leadership support, buy-in from the different organisations, careful process management, a team co-ordinator, and insistent user involvement. Evaluating multiple neurodevelopmental problems in children requires an integrated care approach. The Optimus care model is a relevant showcase for how people-initiated integrated care reforms can make it into usual care.