Association between surgery in early life and child development

Editor's Note

Children who have surgery before primary school age are at increased risk of early developmental vulnerability, but the difference between exposed and unexposed children is small, finds this study.

The analysis included 28,366 children (age 5-6 years) who had surgery and 55,910 children who did not have surgery before entering first grade.

Early developmental vulnerability was increased in the exposed group (25.6%), compared with the unexposed group (25%). The increase in adjusted odds of developmental vulnerability in the exposed group was statistically significant, but the magnitude of difference was small.

Age less than 2 years at first exposure and multiple exposures to surgery were not risk factors for adverse development outcomes. 

Abstract Background: It is unclear whether exposure to surgery in early life has long-term adverse effects on child development. The authors aimed to investigate whether surgery in early childhood is associated with adverse effects on child development measured at primary school entry. Methods: ...