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Updated: May 12, 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

Preterm birth and developmental problems in infancy and preschool age Part II: cognitive, neuropsychological and

Marisa Pugliese1, Cecilia Rossi, Isotta Guidotti

  • 1Institute of Pediatrics and Neonatal Medicine and NICU of Modena University Hospital , Modena , Italy.

The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine : the Official Journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians
|April 11, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Preterm children often experience cognitive and behavioral challenges, even without major disabilities. Early and ongoing neuropsychological assessments are crucial for identifying potential deficits and supporting development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Cognitive impairment is common in preterm infants (30-40% incidence in the first 2 years).
  • Preterm children without major disabilities still show poorer performance in neuropsychological domains compared to term-born peers.
  • Problems increase with decreasing gestational age.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on neuropsychological and behavioral outcomes in extremely and very preterm infants.
  • To highlight the long-term predictive value of preschool-age deficits.
  • To emphasize the need for longitudinal assessment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies.
  • Analysis of cognitive, neuropsychological, behavioral, and neuroradiological outcomes.
  • Focus on preschool-age children born extremely and very preterm.

Main Results:

  • Preterm children exhibit deficits in language, attention, memory, visuomotor/visuospatial processing, and executive functions.
  • Delayed neuropsychological function and behavioral issues at preschool age predict later cognitive deficits.
  • Gestational age is inversely correlated with the incidence and severity of these problems.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm infants require comprehensive, longitudinal neuropsychological assessments.
  • Early identification of deficits is key to mitigating long-term cognitive impairments.
  • Routine follow-up checks should include assessments across multiple developmental domains.

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