Neurodevelopmental disability through 11 years of age in children born before 26 weeks of gestation

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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Samantha Johnson1, Joe Fawke, Enid Hennessy

  • 1Neonatology, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom. sam.johnson@nottingham.ac.uk

Pediatrics
|August 5, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Extremely preterm children face high rates of neurodevelopmental disability, with 45% experiencing serious functional impairment by age 11. This disability risk remained stable from age 6, highlighting the long-term challenges for this vulnerable population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neonatology
  • Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

  • Extremely preterm birth (before 26 weeks gestation) poses significant risks for long-term health and development.
  • Assessing functional disability in this population is crucial for understanding lifelong impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate functional disability in extremely preterm children at 11 years of age.
  • To determine the stability of these functional outcomes between 6 and 11 years of age.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 219 extremely preterm children (born in 1995) were assessed at 11 years, alongside 153 classmates.
  • Standardized tests evaluated cognitive ability and clinical condition at ages 6 and 11.
  • Classmate data provided reference ranges for comparison.

Main Results:

  • At 11 years, 40% of extremely preterm children had serious cognitive impairment versus 1.3% of peers (OR: 50).
  • Overall, 45% had serious functional disability, with higher rates in boys and those born earlier (23-24 weeks).
  • Disability prevalence was stable at 46% at age 6 and 45% at age 11.

Conclusions:

  • Extremely preterm children exhibit a high, stable risk for neurodevelopmental disability into childhood.
  • Outcomes at 11 years indicate persistent challenges compared to term-born peers.
  • Individual disability classifications showed remarkable stability between ages 6 and 11.
Abstract

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