Perinatal factors and their impact on the development of psychoneurological disorders in children

Abstract

Introduction. The perinatal period is extremely important for human development and is marked by intensive processes of neurogenesis. It is at this time that the nervous system is critically vulnerable to various risk factors that can interfere with normal development and disrupt its functions. Objective. To determine the risk factors and to clarify the relationship between the course of the perinatal period and the occurrence of long-term consequences in children with psychoneurological conditions. Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis of 45 outpatient records of children who underwent outpatient treatment and rehabilitation in the Centre for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for psychoneurological disorders was conducted. Clinical, anamnestic and analytical and statistical methods of research were used in the study. Results. Analysis of the perinatal period showed that most children were born from I-II pregnancies. The highest number of complications during pregnancy was observed in the group of children with cerebral palsy, where the threat of abortion, extragenital pathologies, colpitis and chorionamnionitis dominated. The births were mostly physiological, but often complicated by umbilical cord entanglement and weakness of labour. Among the prenatal risk factors for the development of psychoneurological conditions, the key ones are complicated pregnancy and childbirth. Profound prematurity is associated with cerebral palsy and congenital malformations of the nervous system, while late prematurity is more often associated with mental and behavioural disorders. An Apgar score of <3 is significantly correlated with the risk of cerebral palsy, while a score of 4-7 is associated with mental and behavioural disorders. In the neonatal period, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, congenital malformations and intrauterine infections were the most commonly diagnosed conditions, with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy occurring more frequently in children with cerebral palsy and congenital malformations of the nervous system, and intrauterine infections in children with cerebral palsy and mental disorders Conclusions. The perinatal period is critically important for the formation of a child's health, as it is at this time that key stages of development are completed and adaptation to extrauterine life begins. Exposure to adverse factors during this period can have long-term consequences for physical, cognitive and mental health, emphasizing the need for careful monitoring, timely diagnosis and prevention.