【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
{{custom_sec.title}}
{{custom_sec.title}}
{{custom_sec.content}}
References
[1] Martin JA,Hamilton BE,Sutton PD,et al.Births:final data for 2003[J].National Vital Statistics Report,2005,54:-116.
[2] Jain L.School outcome in late preterm infants:a cause for concern[J].J Pediatr Jul,2008,153:5-6.
[3] Saigal S,Doyle LW.An overview of mortality and sequelae of preterm birth from infancy to adulthood[J].Lancet,2008,371:261-269.
[4] Engle WA.A recommendation for the definition of "late preterm" (near-term) and the birth weight-gestational age classification system[J].Semin Perinatol,2006,30(1):2-7.
[5] 中华医学会儿科学分会新生儿学组.中国城市早产儿流行病学初步调查报告[J].中国当代儿科杂志,2005,7(1):25-28.
[6] Majnemer A,Brownstein A,Kadanoff R,et al.A comparison of neurobehavioral performances of healthy term and low-risk preterm infants at term[J].Dev Med Child Neurol,1992,34:417-424.
[7] De Haan M,Bauer PJ,Georgieff MK,et al.Explicit memory in low-risk infant aged 19 months born between 27 and 42 of gestation[J].Dev Med Child Neurol,2000,42:304-312.
[8] Tideman E. Longitudinal follow-up of children born preterm: cognitive development at age 19[J].Early Hum Dev,2000,58:81-90.
[9] Vicari S,Caravale B,Carlesimo GA,et al.Spatial working memory deficits in children at ages 3-4 who were low birth weight,preterm infants[J].Neuropsychology,2004,18:673-678.