ABSTRACT
Infants born earlier than 32 weeks gestation now represent about 1-2% of all live births in developed countries (Tucker & McGuire, 2004). These very preterm infants are much more likely to survive today than they once were due to recent advances in obstetric management and neonatal intensive care (Hack & Fanaroff, 1999). Unfortunately, this reduction in mortality has not been associated with a decline in the frequency and severity of neurobehavioral impairment in this population, but instead has resulted in an increase in the absolute number of very preterm children presenting with adverse outcomes (Hack & Fanaroff, 1999). Adverse outcomes include severe neuromotor and sensory disabilities as well as cognitive deficits, learning difficulties, and behavior problems. Although outcomes vary widely, the prevalence of neurobehavioral problems at school age is estimated to be as high as 50% (Anderson et al., 2003; Taylor, Klein, & Hack, 2000). Of particular interest are the high rates of executive dysfunction, attentional problems,
and attention deficit=hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children born very preterm. This chapter will review recent research examining attentional skills and executive functioning in children born very preterm, describes the neuropathology associated with prematurity, and proposes possible neural mechanisms underpinning the attentional and executive impairments associated with prematurity.
