Corrected or Adjusted Age

Welcome to a gentle exploration of the concept of 'corrected age' versus 'chronological age' in the world of our littlest ones at Oak Physical Therapy. In our nurturing space, understanding these terms is key, especially for parents of premature babies.

Let's first understand prematurity. Babies born between 33-37 weeks are considered 'premature.' Those arriving a bit earlier, between 28-33 weeks, are 'very premature.' And our tiniest fighters, born before 28 weeks, fall into the 'extremely premature' category. Each of these remarkable little ones has their unique journey.

Now, onto the ages. The 'chronological age' is the actual age of your baby from the day they were born. However, for our premature babies, there's another age we consider – the 'corrected age.' This is the age your baby would be if born on their due date. It's calculated by subtracting the number of weeks your baby was premature from their chronological age.

Why is this important? Corrected age gives us a more accurate lens to view your baby's development. It helps us understand where they should be in their growth and milestones, considering their early start in life. We use corrected age to assess things like motor skills, feeding, and overall development until they're around 2 to 3 years old, depending on their prematurity level.

In the caring hands of Oak Physical Therapy, we view each child as a unique story, and understanding corrected age is a part of embracing their individual journey with compassion and expertise.

Sources:

1. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Consequences of using chronological age versus

2. healthychildren.org - Corrected Age For Preemies

3. raisingchildren.net.au - Corrected age: how old is your premature baby?

4. pregnancybirthbaby.org.au - Corrected gestational age for premature babies