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Everyday memory and cognitive ability in children born very prematurely

J Briscoe1, S E Gathercole, N Marlow

  • 1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, UK. J.Briscoe@bris.ac.uk

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|October 5, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Premature birth does not generally cause memory problems in children. However, receptive language skills strongly influence memory, with some preterm children showing impairment not predicted by language alone.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Episodic memory difficulties have been linked to early childhood hypoxia.
  • Previous research suggests potential memory impairments in preterm infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate everyday memory function in preterm children compared to term-born children.
  • To explore the relationship between memory skills, receptive language, and general cognitive ability in these groups.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed memory using the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test for Children (RBMT) in 20 preterm and 20 term-born children at 5 years of age.
  • Compared performance between the two groups and correlated with receptive language and general cognitive abilities.

Main Results:

  • Everyday memory problems were not a general feature of preterm children.
  • Memory performance was closely linked to receptive language ability in both groups.
  • Three preterm children scored in the impaired range on the RBMT; two showed impairment not predictable by language.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm birth is not a universal cause of everyday memory deficits.
  • Receptive language ability is a key factor in memory function for both preterm and term-born children.
  • A subset of preterm children face an increased risk of memory difficulties, potentially linked to factors beyond language ability, warranting further investigation into hypoxic insult.

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