Intellectual and Emotional Development in Premature Children from 1 to 5 Years

Abstract

The work was designed to the study of 317 preterm and 78 full-term children followed up from birth to age 5 years. Emotional and intellectual deficits were found in prematures, especially in boys with gestational age under 29 weeks up to the age of 3 years. Unlike full terms, the prematures showed a marked tendency toward multiple deficits (simultaneous impairment of at least two developmental directions as represented by intelligence, emotional maturity, language and motricity). The recovery period depended on degree of prematurity to age 3; after three years, no manifest effect of prematurity on development could be seen. The risk of persistent subnormality was not linked to prematurity degree. The long-term prognosis for emotional and intellectual development was more certain in preterm girls and in boys with gestational age under 29 weeks than in other prematures.