Minor Physical Anomalies: A Newborn Screening and 1-Year Follow-Up

We screened 933 infants for minor physical anomalies at birth and evaluated 123 of these infants at 1 year of age. The anomaly scores were found to be reliable and stable over time, and to correlate with infant irritability at 1 years. In the high anomaly group there was a positive correlation of both irritability and hyperactivity at 1 year with family history of hyperactivity and/or behavior disorders or obstetrical complications. These findings may indicate a congenital contribution to behavior disorders for nonretarded preschool children.