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Intellectual development in a Danish cohort of prematurely born preschool children: specific or general difficulties?

Barbara Hoff Esbjørn1, Bo Mølholm Hansen, Gorm Greisen

  • 1Department of Psychology, University Clinic, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. barbara_hoff@mail.dk

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|December 14, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and extremely preterm (EPT) children show global cognitive deficits by age 5. Specific functions like memory and executive function were less affected, suggesting general intellectual difficulties are primary.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Premature birth, including extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and extremely preterm (EPT) birth, poses risks for neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  • Understanding the specific cognitive impacts of prematurity is crucial for early intervention and support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if premature birth globally impacts cognitive functions or affects specific domains.
  • To assess cognitive development in ELBW/EPT children at 5 years compared to term-born controls.

Main Methods:

  • A national cohort study followed ELBW/EPT children and a term control group to age 5.
  • Cognitive assessments included the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R), Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC), and NEPSY subtests.
  • Statistical analysis compared cognitive scores between the ELBW/EPT and control groups.

Main Results:

  • ELBW/EPT children scored significantly lower (1.1-1.2 SDs) on Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) and M-ABC compared to controls.
  • Most WPPSI-R subtests revealed medium to large differences, indicating a global cognitive impact.
  • No significant group differences were found in memory or executive function tests, suggesting limited impact on these specific domains.

Conclusions:

  • Premature birth in this cohort was associated with general intellectual difficulties rather than specific cognitive dysfunctions at age 5.
  • The findings suggest a broad impact on cognitive abilities, though attrition in specific tests limits definitive conclusions on executive function and memory.

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