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Executive functioning in school-aged children who were born very preterm or with extremely low birth weight in the

Peter J Anderson1, Lex W Doyle,

  • 1Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. anderson@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au

Pediatrics
|July 3, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Children born extremely low birth weight (ELBW) or very preterm in the 1990s showed significant executive dysfunction (EDF) at age 8. These children require ongoing neuropsychological review during middle childhood.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and very preterm birth are associated with neurodevelopmental challenges.
  • Executive dysfunction (EDF) can significantly impact a child's academic and social functioning.
  • Understanding long-term cognitive outcomes in this population is crucial for timely interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the frequency, nature, and severity of executive dysfunction (EDF) at 8 years of age.
  • To compare EDF in extremely low birth weight (ELBW)/very preterm children born in the 1990s with normal birth weight (NBW) controls.
  • To identify specific cognitive and behavioral domains affected by early preterm birth.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study comparing 275 ELBW/very preterm survivors (born 1991-1992, <28 weeks gestation or <1000g birth weight) with 223 matched NBW controls.
  • Cognitive and behavioral assessments of executive functioning administered at 8 years of age.
  • Inclusion criteria focused on gestational age/birth weight for the ELBW/very preterm group and birth weight for the NBW group.

Main Results:

  • ELBW/very preterm children demonstrated significant EDF across all assessed areas compared to NBW peers.
  • Cognitive impairments were global rather than specific to executive domains.
  • Behavioral problems indicative of EDF were more prevalent in the ELBW/very preterm group.
  • Severe impairments were rare, and findings remained consistent after adjustments.

Conclusions:

  • School-aged children born very preterm or ELBW in the 1990s face an elevated risk of executive dysfunction.
  • Ongoing neuropsychological monitoring is recommended for these children throughout middle childhood.
  • Early identification and support are vital for mitigating the long-term effects of EDF.
Abstract

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