关键词: 晚期早产儿, 认知能力, 视觉-运动整合

Abstract: 【Objective】 To investigate low-risk late preterm preschoolers' cognitive and visual-motor integration performance and compare them to normal children. 【Methods】 Participants were 31 late preterm and 38 normal children who were 4 to 6 years old and were free from major disability.They were evaluated using the Chinese population adaptation of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) and Berry visual-motor integration kit (VMI). 【Results】 The mean scores of VIQ, PIQ and FIQ in preterm and full-term group were 97±21, 107±15, 102±18; 112±15, 128±12, 122±11 respectively. Compared with normal children,the preterm preschoolers had significantly lower level in the tests of verbal, performance and overall intelligence quotients(P<0.01), particularly in higher-level verbal and performance function, although the levels were within the average range. The mean scores of VMI in preterm and full-term preschoolers were 88±16 and 109±18. The poor ability of VMI in preterm children had significantly 24% difference with the control group, even worse than the performance intelligence quotients. Furthermore, the VMI was positively correlated with the full intelligence quotients (r=0.6,P<0.05). 【Conclusions】 Low-risk late preterm preschoolers with average cognition capability still have poorer cognitive ability compared with the normal children. Moreover, they are at risk of defect in visual-spatial perception and higher-functional verbal capability. Detection specific visual perceptual and verbal dysfunction before school age, even in children with a low risk of mental and neurological problems could provide specific rehabilitative strategies to prevent learning and/or behavioral problems.

Key words: late-preterm, cognitive profile, visual-motor integration