ERIC Number: EJ1204831
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1522-7227
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Gender Affects Early Psychomotor Milestones and Long-Term Neurodevelopment of Preterm Infants
Di Rosa, Gabriella; Pironti, Erica; Cucinotta, Francesca; Alibrandi, Angela; Gagliano, Antonella
Infant and Child Development, v28 n1 e2110 Jan-Feb 2019
Temporal differences of neurodevelopmental milestones' achievement are commonly taken into account in preterm infant assessment during the first year of life, especially when minor or none neurological signs arise from clinical examination. The influence of gender on neurodevelopment in preterm infants was examined by a milestones-based neurological approach. Two-hundred twenty-seven moderate and late preterm and full-term infants (51.9% male), without evidence of severe white matter insults, were early assessed by classic neurological examination. Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale was used at long-term observation. Children were sorted into three gestational age groups (Group 1: 32-33 weeks, Group 2: 34-36 weeks, and Group 3: =37 weeks) and compared according to their neurodevelopmental pathways and gender. The achievement of head control was slightly earlier in females. The pointing, one of the main communicative hand gesture, appeared significantly earlier in females across all the groups. At the Griffiths Scale, the majority of gender-related differences emerged in personal-social and eye and hand coordination subscale. An independent role of male gender was evidenced in personal-social, language, and eye and hand coordination subscales. Gender and gestational age likely addressed different temporal profiles of neurodevelopment in early and late assessments in preterm and full-term infants. The role of gender and gestational age on these findings has been discussed.
Descriptors: Premature Infants, Gender Differences, Psychomotor Skills, Nonverbal Communication, Child Development, Neurology, Age Differences, Motor Reactions, Language Skills, Role, Profiles, Interpersonal Competence, Cognitive Development
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A