Lynelle King

Abstract

This study was concerned with the problem of determining the effect of twinship on the prematurely-born twin's growth and physical and emotional morbidity during early childhood. The immediate purposes of the study were to compare prematurely-born twins with prematurely-born singletons regarding their incidence and types of physical and emotional morbidity, and their growth during early childhood. It was hypothesized that prematurely-born twins have slower growth and more physical and emotional morbidity than prematurely born singletons. The descriptive survey method was used. From children cared for at a selected premature clinic, nineteen twins were matched with nineteen singletons for: race, sex, socio-economic level, birth weight, and gestation period. The medical records of their first eighteen months were reviewed. Mothers of children in the study were interviewed, if possible. To secure uniformity, a guide was used for collecting the data from medical records and a second guide was used for the interviews. The findings of the study indicated that the twins had a significantly higher incidence of physical and emotional morbidity. Specific types of morbidity in which twins had significantly higher incidence were major respiratory illnesses and lymphadenopathy. There was also a significantly higher incidence of hospitalizations for twins. The twin group's incidence of major respiratory illness was nine, while the singletons had no illness in this category. The twins had eight instances of hospitalization and the singletons had none. Certain factors were noted which may have influenced morbidity, including a significantly higher incidence of missed clinic appointments and number of siblings in the twin group. The twin group's slower growth was not statistically significant.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Betty Lonnstrom

Second Advisor

Joan Winifred Sommer

Third Advisor

Naomi Pitman

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1965

Date (Title Page)

8-1965

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Infant, Premature; Twins; Infant Mortality

Type

Thesis

Page Count

ix; 105

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

Download

Share

COinS