Association between small for gestational age and low birth weight with attention deficit and impaired executive...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Child Health Research

Background:

• Behavioral disorders and ADHD symptoms are common in children with a history of small body size at birth and intrauterine growth retardation.
• Children born Small for Gestational Age (SGA) and/or Low Birth Weight (LBW) may face developmental challenges.
• Investigating executive functions and attention deficit in SGA/LBW children is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate executive functions and attention deficit in preschool children with a history of Small for Gestational Age (SGA) and/or Low Birth Weight (LBW).
• To compare attention and executive function performance between SGA/LBW children and their normal birth weight peers.

Main Methods:

• A historical cohort study included 229 preschool children aged 3-6 years.
• Children with a history of SGA/LBW were compared to a control group of appropriate for gestational age (AGA) children.
• Psychological assessments included the ASQ, Conner's, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test to evaluate attention, development, and executive functions.

Main Results:

• Preschoolers with SGA/LBW history demonstrated significantly lower scores in Neuropsychological Evaluation (NPE) and Percent Perseverative Errors (PPE) compared to controls (p < .001, p = .015).
• Significant differences were observed in Conner's B item scores between the SGA/LBW group and the control group (p = .039, p = .035).

Conclusions:

• Children with a history of birth size risks like SGA/LBW may experience attention and executive function complications in childhood.
• Early identification and support for attention and executive function difficulties in at-risk children are recommended.
• Further research is warranted to understand the long-term implications and effective interventions for these children.