Here is a short description of the differences of Gestational Age, Actual Age, and Adjusted (or Corrected) Age in terms of premature delivered babies:
Adjusted age is when the child *should* have been born but for the prematurity. Adjusted Age is important b/c development tracks more closely to the "due date" age than to the birth date. This happens b/c development started when the sperm met the egg NOT when the child happened to come out of the womb.
Actual Age is a bit of a misnomer b/c development doesn't track actual age well. Actual Age is the age based on a child's birthday, the day the child came out of the womb. This is the age that society recognizes on a child's birth certificate.
Gestational Age refers to a child's development before the due date (assuming a "normal" 40-week delivery). If a child is born at 25 weeks but they are 4 weeks old, then they would be considered 29 weeks gestational age.
In other words, Joey is:
- 33 weeks Gestational Age
- 1 week Actual Age
- No Adjusted Age yet since he hasn't reached his original due date
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