title: Neurodevelopmental profile at five years of children born at < or = 32 weeks gestation.
abstract: Sixty children born preterm (gestational age < or = 32 weeks) and 60 control children matched by sex, and socio-economic and educational status of the parents were followed prospectively to the age of five years. Neurodevelopmental problems were surveyed by a detailed neurological and neuropsychological test battery, and by ophthalmological and hearing examinations. All except one of the preterm children with major disability had motor, visual-spatial and visual problems. The most frequent neurodevelopmental abnormalities encountered among preterm children without major disability were motor problems--emerging as gross and fine motor and/or visual-motor difficulties--and visual-spatial problems. Language difficulties were not associated with hearing problems. Among those without major disability, visual-spatial difficulties and ophthalmological problems seldom emerged simultaneously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrgård
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luoma
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tuppurainen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karjalainen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martikainen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010290:Parents; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014787:Vision Tests