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Updated: Nov 17, 2025
Conditional Reprogramming of Pediatric Human Esophageal Epithelial Cells for Use in Tissue Engineering and Disease Investigation
Published on: March 22, 2017
Cognitive, academic, and behavioral functioning in school-aged children born with esophageal atresia
Alice C Burnett1, Julia K Gunn-Charlton2, Stephanie Malarbi2
1Department of Neonatal Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia; Premature Infant Follow-up Programme, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Insights
Children surgically treated for esophageal atresia (OA) may experience lasting attention and working memory challenges. These cognitive difficulties were not strongly linked to other health issues or hospital stay length.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Esophageal atresia (OA) is a congenital condition requiring neonatal surgical repair.
- Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in OA survivors are not fully understood.
- Understanding cognitive, academic, and behavioral profiles is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize cognitive, academic, and behavioral functioning in children after OA repair.
- To compare outcomes based on clinical factors like congenital anomalies, hospitalization duration, and prematurity.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 71 5-year-olds and 72 8-year-olds with OA using standardized cognitive and academic tests.
- Utilized parent-reported questionnaires for executive functioning and behavior.
- Compared outcomes to normative data and within clinical subgroups.
Main Results:
- Children with OA showed some evidence of lower intellectual development.
- Reduced verbal attention at age 5, and lower sustained/divided attention and math skills at age 8.
- Parents reported persistent working memory difficulties; other issues were transient.
Conclusions:
- Children with OA are at risk for persistent cognitive challenges, especially in attention and working memory.
- These difficulties were not strongly associated with additional anomalies, prolonged hospitalization, or prematurity.
- Early identification and support for cognitive deficits in OA survivors are warranted.
Purpose:
To characterize cognitive, academic, and behavioral functioning in children who underwent neonatal surgical repair of esophageal atresia (OA) and compare outcomes according to clinical characteristics (presence of additional congenital anomalies, longer hospitalization, and prematurity).
Methods:
Intellectual, language, attention, and executive functioning were assessed in 71 5-year-olds and 72 8-year-olds born with OA. At 8 years, memory and academic skills were also assessed. Parents rated children's executive functioning and behavior via questionnaires. Outcomes were compared to normative data and within subgroups of the sample.
Results:
Intellectual functioning varied depending on the assessment tool, with some evidence of lower than expected intellectual development in children with OA. At 5 years, children with OA showed age-appropriate language and self-regulation, but reduced verbal attention. At 8 years, the OA group had lower than expected sustained attention, divided attention, and mathematics but typical memory and literacy. Parents consistently reported increased working memory difficulties. Other executive functioning and behavioral symptoms were transiently observed. Findings did not consistently differ according to clinical characteristics.
Conclusions:
Children with OA may be at risk of transient and persisting cognitive difficulties, particularly in attention and working memory. Difficulties were not strongly associated with additional congenital anomalies, longer hospitalization, or prematurity.
Level Of Evidence:
Level IV.
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