Social–emotional delays at 2years in extremely low gestational age survivors: Correlates of impaired orientation/engagement and emotional regulation

Family Nurture Intervention in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit improves social‐relatedness, attention, and neurodevelopment of preterm infants at 18 months in a randomized controlled trial

“…As many as 30% of infants born <1000 g have impaired cognitive development at follow-up (Belfort, Santo, & McCormick, 2013). Maladaptive social-relatedness and communication delays are also characteristic of children born prematurely (Boyd et al, 2013;Lindstrom, Lindblad, & Hjern, 2011;Mahoney, Minter, Burch, & Stapel-Wax, 2013;Ritter, Perrig, Steinlin, & Everts, 2014). These characteristics are core deficits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).…”

Altered resting-state functional connectivity in emotion-processing brain regions in adults who were born very preterm

“…Individuals who were born VPT are vulnerable to socio-emotional impairments, including social isolation, peer rejection, poor social competence and shyness (Rickards et al 2001; Dahl et al 2006; Schmidt et al 2008; Healy et al 2013; Williamson & Jakobson, 2014), as well as impairments in the ability to recognize facial emotions (Potharst et al 2013; Witt et al 2014). Social deficits have been described in the first 2 years of life in VPT samples (Spittle et al 2009; Boyd et al 2013); and furthermore, VPT children and adolescents have been found to have a higher risk of anxiety and depression (Burnett et al 2011), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; Lindström et al 2011) and autism (Limperopoulos et al 2008; Pinto-Martin et al 2011) compared to controls. Individuals born VPT continue to be at an increased risk for psychiatric disorders in adult life, with mood and anxiety disorders being the most prevalent (Walshe et al 2008; Nosarti et al 2012; D'Onofrio et al 2013).…”

Should the Gross Motor Function Classification System be used for children who do not have cerebral palsy?

“…Four studies used the GMFCS as a grouping variable to present data from other measures . Fourteen prospective cohort or retrospective studies used the GMFCS as an independent variable, predictor, or covariate to determine whether GMFCS levels were associated with other characteristics such as bone density and fractures …”

“…Among the 118 papers, 76 did not mention that the GMFCS was developed specifically for use with children with CP or discuss its measurement properties . Twenty noted that the GMFCS was created for children with CP but did not justify its application to their condition/clinical description .…”