Abstract
Background: Delays in learning skills have been extensively reported for very preterm children. However, few studies have examined academic achievement profiles in Italian preterm children as a function of their neonatal immaturity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed that included 82 healthy Italian children born very and extremely preterm (without major neurosensory outcomes; IQ ≥85). Children were evaluated for academic and neurocognitive performances at the second cycle of primary school. Results: Healthy preterm children showed on average academic and neurocognitive profiles that did not differ according to gestational age. Impairment was seen to one or more learning domains in 14.6% of the healthy preterm children. Conclusions: Italian children born very and extremely preterm without major neurosensory damage and/or cognitive delay showed on average learning and neurocognitive profiles within the normal range, regardless of gestational age. Nevertheless, they showed higher proportions of learning impairment than a normative Italian population during their final years of primary school. Healthcare providers should be aware of this result, and long-term surveillance should be organized to promptly identify those children who are in need of therapeutic intervention.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 7599 |
Pages (from-to) | 1-23 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 20 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Oct 2 2020 |
Keywords
- Clinical neurodevelopment follow-up in preterm children
- Healthy preterm
- Learning abilities
- Learning impairment
- Neurocognitive profile
- Very preterm
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis