Pre-term birth related to mental deficits

More than three-quarters of children born before the 26th week of pregnancy are affected by cognitive and neurological impairments later at school level. Researchers from the University of Bristol, tested 241 extremely premature children at an average age of 6 and compared the results with those of a control group made up of 160 classmates born at full term.Forty one per cent children born extremely premature had significantly lower mental functioning as compared to the control group children. Serious impairments were more than twice as likely in boys than in girls.Severe disabilities such as incapacitating cerebral palsy, low IQ, profound hearing loss, or blindness was diagnosed in 22 per cent, while 24 per cent had moderate disabilities that included less-severe cerebral palsy, somewhat below-par IQ, correctible hearing loss or impaired vision without blindness. Only 20 per cent of those born between 22 and 25 weeks had no disability.The findings suggest that there is an immense need of care after they've been discharged from the neonatal unit.