Long‐term Follow‐up of Infants Under Intensive Care with Tracheotomy During the Period 1956–1965

Abstract
Twenty‐seven infants who survived intensive care during early infancy in the pioneering period of neonatal intensive care (1956–1965) were investigated after 8–17 years. The selection criterion was maintenance of a tracheotomy for more than 15 days during the first 12 months of life. A variety of clinical, physiological, radiological and psychiatric sequelae was found. Respiratory symptoms were the dominating problem during the post‐tracheotomy period. The long‐term follow‐up revealed that these symptoms had a stong tendency to subside. At the time of the follow‐up, as many as 20 children (74%) did not experience any functional impairment.