title: Attention capacities of preterm and term born toddlers: A multi-method approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many preterm children show difficulties in attention at (pre)school age. The development of attention capacities of preterm and term toddlers was compared using a longitudinal and multi-method approach at 12, 18 and 24months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Attention was measured for 123 preterm (32-36weeks gestation) and 101 term born children, using eye tracking (18months), observations during mother-child interaction (18months), and mother-reports (12, 18, and 24months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preterm toddlers had lower scores than term children on the eye-tracking measures of orienting and alerting. No group differences were found with observations, mother-reports, and the eye-tracking measure of executive attention. More preterm than term children had suboptimal scores on measures of the alerting system at 18months, possibly indicating difficulties in attention development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preterm children showed an increased risk for suboptimal functioning in alerting attention capacities, as early as at a toddler age.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, P.O. box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: M.deJong@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Marjanneke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, P.O. box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: J.C.T.Verhoeven@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verhoeven
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, P.O. box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: A.L.vanbaar@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Anneloes L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: van Baar
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations
keywords: Alerting; Executive attention; Orienting; Preterm; Toddlers