Children who were born at less than 26 weeks of gestation have a higher risk for later impairments, a new study finds. Although advances in the neonatal intensive care have resulted in increased survival rates for these children, researchers who conducted a follow-up study of 219 extremely preterm children found that almost one-quarter had a psychiatric disorder at 11 years of age. The findings, which are reported in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, show the most frequent psychiatric conditions were Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (12 percent), emotional disorders (9 percent), and Autism Spectrum Disorders (8 percent). The investigation also reports a threefold overall greater risk of subsequent mental health problems in those children born prematurely. (ScienceDaily, 4/25/10)
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