[Cognitive development and attention performances at school age of "normal" prematurely born children]

(Développement cognitif et performances attentionnelles de l'ancien prématuré "normal" à l'âge scolaire.)

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
A preterm birth can exert an influence on cognitive development. The aim of this study was to determine whether preterm birth may impact on attention executive processes, at school age, in children without neurological sequelae.

DESIGN AND METHODS:
Prematurely born children admitted in the level III NICU of the Maternité régionale of Nancy between 1992 and 1994, underwent at 8 to 10 years 8 subtests of the mental processing scales of the K-ABC, which assess process categories involved in learning. The children were also submitted to 3 tests that evaluate attention mechanisms efficiency (category fluency task, backward digits span, Tower of London). The controls were children born at term recruted in schools of the same area.

RESULTS:
The 124 children were born with birth weight appropriate for gestational age, and were in the school grades expected for their ages, in 3rd, 4rth, and 5fth grades. Fifty-three children were born at term, 29 were prematurely born (33-36 w), and 42 were very prematurely born (28-32 w). Birth term was significantly correlated (P < 0.001) with scores at sequential processing scale, at simultaneous processing scale and at the mental processing composite scale. At this scale, the children born at term obtained a median score of 112, the children prematurely born of 101, and the children very prematurely born of 98.5. For 40 third grade children (18 born at term, 10 prematurely born, and 12 very prematurely born), birth term was significantly correlated with performances at the 3 tests of attention. In all cases, preterm was inversely correlated with performances.

CONCLUSION:
The results are consistent with a lower efficiency in attention executive processes which may be related to the higher frequency of learning disabilities associated with prematurity.

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Author information

Author/s: Deforge, H (H); André, M (M); Hascoët, J-M (JM); Toniolo, A-M (AM); Demange, V (V); Fresson, J (J);

Affiliation: Laboratoire GRAPCO (groupe d'analyse psychométrique des conduites), université Nancy-II, 3, place Godefroi-de-Bouillon BP 3317, 54015 Nancy cedex, France. Helene.Deforge(-atsign-)univ-nancy2.fr

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: English Abstract; Journal Article

Journal: Archives de pédiatrie : organe officiel de la Sociéte française de pédiatrie (Arch Pediatr), published in France. (Language: fre)

Reference: 2006-Sep; vol 13 (issue 9) : pp 1195-201

Dates: Created 2006/09/11; Completed 2006/11/21;

PMID: 16824742, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Attention - physiology
Birth Weight - physiology
Case-Control Studies
Child
Cognition Disorders - physiopathology
Female

Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Premature Birth - physiopathology

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