Parents may wonder, how to calculate the age of a premature baby and is it the same as calculating the age of a baby born on time? Determining the age of a premature baby is very important considering that the baby’s growth and development are measured based on their age. Therefore, do not make a mistake in determining the age of a premature baby, okay?
Generally, if your baby is born early, he/she has 2 important days, namely, the day the baby was born and the Estimated Date of Birth (EDD). These two dates are the dates to measure the normal development of the baby.
Meanwhile, for premature babies, it is necessary to look at the baby’s corrected age, so parents need to calculate it first. During the first 2 years, the baby’s corrected age will be a benchmark for parents to know the growth and development and milestones of their little ones. The question is, what is the baby’s corrected age and how to calculate it?
What is the Corrected Age for Premature Babies?
As explained above, the age of a premature baby is determined by looking at the baby’s corrected age. The corrected age or adjusted age is the premature baby’s chronological age (EDA) minus the number of weeks or months he was born early.
For example, a one-year-old born three months early would have a corrected age of nine months.
This corrected age can be helpful if Parents want to know whether the development of your premature baby is in accordance with his/her development. For example, if someone notices that your little one is already six months old but cannot sit up yet, you can explain that he/she was born three months early, which means that his/her development is still equivalent to a 3-month-old baby. If you measure your baby’s ability through the corrected age, your baby’s development is actually in accordance with his/her age.
How to Calculate the Age of a Premature Baby
You can calculate the age of a premature baby in two different ways:
1. Chronological Age
It is the age of a baby determined by counting the number of days, weeks, or years since the day of birth.
2. Adjusted Age (Correction Age)
As explained above, adjusted age is the baby’s age based on the estimated date of birth (EDD), minus the baby’s birth date. Health care providers can use this age when evaluating the baby’s growth and development. So, if a baby is 6 months old but was born three months early, then the adjusted age is 3 months.
Another example, if a baby is born at 32 weeks of gestation, 2 months earlier than the EDD, and is now 4 months old (16 weeks since birth), the corrected age is 2 months.
In this example, even if the baby is supposed to be 4 months old, you should see his development as a 2-month-old baby (according to his corrected age). Because, it is not realistic to measure a baby’s abilities by his chronological time.
Your baby may have just started to lift his head and smile, which is a normal development for a 2-month-old baby and, therefore, for a premature baby whose corrected age is 2 months.
Many parents are stressed and frustrated by well-meaning family and friends who express concerns about their baby’s development. People may think your baby is behind for a 4-month-old. In fact, his development is on track for a 2-month-old.
Does Corrected Age Affect Your Little One’s Development and Interactions?
Parents may notice that other babies of the same age can do many things than your premature baby. But if Parents focus on the corrected age of the little one, actually his development is in accordance with his age.
Like other children, premature children will learn from the stimulation given by their parents and the environment around them. For example, from what they can play, feel, touch, and see. Because their growth and development are more influenced by stimulation than how old they are.
That is why Parents are advised to provide lots of stimulation, such as reading books, taking them to play in the park, and inviting them to communicate. All experiences from this stimulation help their brain develop.
Most premature babies reach the same developmental milestones as other babies by two to three years. After that, any differences in size or development are likely due to the individual baby and how he or she was stimulated, rather than to being born prematurely. However, some very premature babies take longer to catch up.
All children have variations in growth and development, regardless of whether they are premature or full-term.
In fact, premature birth can affect every aspect of your little one’s growth and development differently. Some abilities may not be affected at all, while others may be severely affected. Therefore, using your baby’s corrected age as a benchmark for growth is very important.
Age Differences and Milestones of Premature Babies
To understand infant development andmilestone-as they get older, you should know their corrected age. This corrected age will give you an understanding of what is ‘normal’ for their developmental milestones (such as rolling over, learning to sit up on their own , etc.) until they are 2 years old.
Whether your baby was born prematurely or not, your doctor will monitor your little one’s development to make sure they are developing according to normal growth and development. Later,Parentswill better understand which developments your little one has mastered and which ones need help. ParentsYou can also consult with your pediatrician about early intervention (EI) services to support and encourage their development (such as physical therapy, speech therapy, feeding therapy, and others) if needed.
When Should Premature Babies Start Immunization?
Premature babies generally receive the same immunizations at their chronological age as full-term babies. Premature babies really need protection from immunizations because they are more susceptible to certain infections.
If your baby was born very premature, he or she may have received his or her first immunizations while he or she was still in the hospital. He or she may even need additional doses of some vaccines when he or she is older.
Determining the Age of Premature Children When They Will Enter School
Your child may be able to start preschool and school based on their chronological age, not their corrected age. However, the difference in age can affect how your child is able to do and what they are expected to do, especially in preschool.
Most parents decide to delay school for a year, if their child’s corrected age is just below school entry age. The goal is to give the child extra time to catch up on growth and develop the social skills he or she needs for preschool and school.
It’s also a good idea to let preschool teachers or health care professionals, and anyone else who cares for or works with your baby know if your baby was born prematurely. They’ll also need to know how many weeks early your baby was born.
If you are concerned about learning or developmental problems once your little one starts school, it can be helpful for school teachers to know that your child was born premature.
That’s some information about how to calculate the age of a premature baby. Hopefully this information is useful!
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