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Gender distinctive impacts of prematurity and small for gestational age (SGA) on age‐6 attention problems
Author(s) -
Hall James,
Jaekel Julia,
Wolke Dieter
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
child and adolescent mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1475-3588
pISSN - 1475-357X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-3588.2012.00649.x
Subject(s) - small for gestational age , appropriate for gestational age , gestational age , cognition , low birth weight , head circumference , birth weight , pediatrics , medicine , psychology , developmental psychology , pregnancy , psychiatry , genetics , biology
Background Predictors of attention problems remain uncertain. Here we distinguish prematurity from small (birth weight) for gestational age ( SGA ). Method A total of 1437 children were studied between 0 and 6 years. Gender differences and indirect perinatal effects (via 20‐month head circumference and cognition) were considered for age 6 attention problems. Results Boys, preterms, and SGA children were all at increased risk for attention problems. Indirect perinatal effects differed between boys and girls. Conclusions The routes leading to attention problems seem to differ for SGA and preterm children. SGA appears to reduce brain volume while prematurity alters brain function. Although less frequent, female attention problems are more strongly predicted by prematurity and cognitive dysfunction.