engleski

Early communication development in premature infants: do ex-preterms show autistic profile?

A number of risk factors can influence the developmental profile of prematurely born infants and children and thus contribute to the pathogenesis of motor and cognitive disabilities. By using Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), Limperopoulos et al. (2007) reported findings predictive of autism in 26% of ex-preterm toddlers (average age: 22 months). In this study, we used the Communication and Symbolic Behavioral Scales Developmental Profile Infant-Toddler Checklist (CSBS-DP ; Wetherby and Prizant, 2003 ; translated by M. Cepanec) to asses the developmental profile of 50 premature infants and toddlers who were delivered 4 to 10 weaks before the term. We have found that total scores considered to be below the normal values were detected in 16% of prematurely born children. While prematurely born children in general achieved lower scores in all domains (total score, social composite, speech composite, symbolic comosite), a significant difference in comparison to ch ildren born at term was found only for the symbolic composite and total score. These findings indicate that prematurely born children display the greatest delay in the cognitive domain, but no primary delay in the development of social communication skills. Thus, the screening scales for autism should be used with great care and one should especiall try to avoid the pitfall of applying it to infants and toddlers of inappropriate (too young) or even unknown developmental age.

premature; communication; toddlers; autism

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