Early Emergence of Delayed Social Competence in Infants Born Late and Moderately Preterm

Abstract

Birth at 32 to 36 weeks of gestation confers a specific risk for delayed social competence at 2 years of age. This may be indicative of an increased risk for psychiatric disorders later in childhood.

Developmental trajectories in children with prolonged NICU stays

“…This indicates that socioeconomic factors may play an increasingly important role compared with birth and medical history in a child's academic performance as he or she ages 7 17. These results are consistent with previous publications that have found a strong link between SES and cognitive outcomes in NICU-admitted children and children with neurological complications, with supplanting or amplifying effects of SES on complications of lower gestational age at birth 1 14 19–21 25 26…”

“…In some studies, these social factors have been shown to be more important predictors of cognitive outcomes, especially as a child ages, than prematurity or medical complications 7 10 14 19–21…”

Differentiating the Preterm Phenotype: Distinct Profiles of Cognitive and Behavioral Development Following Late and Moderately Preterm Birth

“…At 24 months' corrected age, parents completed a questionnaire that comprised validated scales to identify children with cognitive impairment, 14 language delay, 14 behavioral problems, 8 delayed socioemotional competence, 8 autism spectrum symptoms, 15 and eating difficulties. 9 The Parent Report of Children's Abilities-Revised (PARCA-R) 16 was used to assess cognitive and language development.…”

Maternal Mentalization and Behavior Under Stressful Contexts: The Moderating Roles of Prematurity and Household Chaos

“…These parents are in a state of “premature parenting” in which the transition to parenthood takes place ahead of its time (Stern, ). Furthermore, prematurely born infants are less engaged and responsive in dyadic interactions compared to full‐term infants (e.g., De Schuymer et al., ; Johnson et al., ), suggesting that preterm infants can be more challenging interaction companions for parents. Extensive research indicates that parents of preterm infants are more prone to distress compared to parents of full‐term infants: They often experience a sense of loss of the parental role as well as a decrease in confidence as parents during the hospitalization of their newborn, and they suffer more from anxiety, parental stress, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and depression, especially in the first months postpartum (e.g., Al Maghaireh, Abdullah, Chan, Piaw, & Al Kawafha, ; Miles & Holditch‐Davis, ; Olshtain‐Mann & Auslander, ; Poehlmann et al., ; Suttora, Spinelli, & Monzani, ).…”