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[Evolution of psychomotor development in pre-school children born prematurely]
Alejandra Victoria Pereira-Cerro1, María Dolores Lanzarote-Fernández2, María Merced Barbancho-Morant3
1CEU Cardenal Spínola, Fundación San Pablo Andalucía CEU, Bormujos, Sevilla, España.
Insights
Children born prematurely, especially those born early pre-term, face greater developmental challenges at ages 4 and 6. These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and specialized care for premature infants through the preschool years.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
- Neonatology
Background:
- Rising rates of premature births necessitate understanding their long-term effects.
- Premature birth can impact child development, requiring detailed investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the psychomotor development of premature children at ages 4, 5, and 6.
- To compare the development of premature and full-term born children.
- To identify differences in psychomotor skills based on gestational age.
Main Methods:
- A prospective longitudinal observational study with 98 participants (premature and full-term infants).
- Participants were categorized by gestational age: early, moderate, and late pre-term.
- Psychomotor skills were evaluated using the McCarthy Scale of Aptitudes and Psychomotor skills.
Main Results:
- Premature children exhibited more developmental difficulties at age 4 compared to full-term infants.
- Early pre-term infants (gestational age < 32 weeks) showed significantly lower scores at ages 4 and 6.
- Developmental gaps persisted, particularly at age 6 for early pre-term infants.
Conclusions:
- Lower gestational age correlates with greater developmental difficulties, potentially impacting primary education.
- Continuous monitoring of premature children during preschool is crucial.
- Specialized teams should evaluate specific skills and provide ongoing care for premature infants.
Introduction:
The rate of premature births has significantly increased, and it is important to determine its effects. The objective of this study is to determine the psychomotor development profile of a group of children born prematurely, at the age of 4, 5 and 6, and to compare them with a group of full-term birth children, in order to detect any differences.
Patients And Methods:
The sample consisted of 98 participants, evenly distributed into two groups, premature and full-term born children. A prospective longitudinal observational analytical study, with a design of cases and controls, was carried out. For some analyses, the separation into early pre-term, moderate pre-term, and late pre-term was considered. The evaluations were performed using the McCarthy Scale of Aptitudes and Psychomotor skills for children.
Results:
The data shows achievements within the middle intervals. However, there are more difficulties in development at 4 years in the group of premature children, according to gestational age. Early pre-term (gestational age less than 32 weeks) showed significantly lower scores compared to moderate and late pre-term, mainly at 6 years, and with those born at term, at 4 and 6 years.
Conclusions:
Development difficulties are greater at a lower gestational age, and may affect the Primary Education stage. The need to monitor all premature children in the preschool stage is suggested, as well as to evaluate more specific skills and continue with the care from specialist teams.
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