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Temperament traits in 4-year-old children born prematurely - may they suggest a threat for mental functioning?

Małgorzata Klimek1, Magdalena Nitecka2, Grażyna Dutkowska2

  • 1Klinika Chorób Dzieci UJ w Krakowie.

Psychiatria Polska
|July 6, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Prematurely born children often exhibit hyperactivity and emotional difficulties. Early detection of these issues is crucial for timely therapeutic intervention and improved developmental outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal development
  • Child psychology
  • Developmental pediatrics

Background:

  • Premature birth (gestational age <= 32 weeks, birth weight <= 1500 grams) poses risks to child development.
  • Assessing emotional functioning and temperamental traits is vital for this population.
  • Understanding the frequency of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in premature infants is important.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate emotional functioning and temperamental traits in 4-year-olds born prematurely.
  • To determine the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in this cohort.
  • To identify factors associated with developmental outcomes in premature children.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 86 four-year-old children born prematurely underwent physical examinations, anthropometric measurements, and psychomotor tests.
  • Evaluations included the Leiter International Performance Scale P-93, Children Vocabulary Test (TSD), EAS-C temperament questionnaire, and CAST questionnaire.
  • Parental questionnaires gathered data on socio-economic status and early childhood education attendance.

Main Results:

  • Hyperactivity and reduced emotionality were significantly more prevalent in premature children compared to the general population.
  • Lower gestational age and birth weight correlated with lower emotionality scores.
  • Children scoring >= 12 on the CAST questionnaire had lower birth weight, higher rates of retinopathy of prematurity, and poorer neurodevelopmental test results.

Conclusions:

  • Children born prematurely face an elevated risk for hyperactivity and autism spectrum symptoms.
  • Early identification of emotional disorders in premature children is essential for prompt therapeutic support.
  • This study highlights the need for targeted developmental monitoring and intervention for high-risk premature infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
ASDneurodevelopmental disordersspreterm infants

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