[Psychomotor development in late preterms at two years of age: a comparison with full-term newborn infants using two...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Neonatology

Background:

• Late preterm infants (born between 34-36 weeks gestation) represent a significant proportion of preterm births.
• These infants are at higher risk for neurodevelopmental disorders that may not be apparent until later in childhood.
• Early identification of developmental issues is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess neurodevelopmental outcomes at two years of age in late preterm infants.
• To identify specific areas of developmental delay in this population.
• To determine risk factors associated with neurodevelopmental deficits in late preterm infants.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of late preterm infants and a term-born control group were evaluated at two years of age.
• Psychomotor development was assessed using the Brunet-Lezine Revised test.
• Developmental progress was further screened using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3).

Main Results:

• Late preterm infants demonstrated lower scores in language and postural development compared to term infants.
• Female infants generally outperformed males across several developmental domains.
• The ASQ-3 identified communication and socio-individual differences, correlating well with the Brunet-Lezine Revised test (r=0.7, p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Late preterm infants exhibit delayed language development by two years of age.
• Prematurity and male sex are significant independent risk factors for developmental disorders.
• The ASQ-3 is a valuable tool for early detection of developmental delays in language, enabling timely interventions.