[Guide to neurological follow-up in premature newborns].

Abstract

One in ten babies are born preterm, as defined as being less than 37 weeks of gestational age. Premature births are associated with a high risk of poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, including hearing, visual, motor, and cognitive impairments. Currently, there is no specific standardization for neurological follow-up infants born premature. Most formal neonatal intensive care units, follow-up programs monitor children until early childhood. However, some deficits, such as mild cognitive impairment, may only become apparent in school years. This review outlines a neurological follow-up timeline, as well as the different standardized measures that can be used to monitor development to ensure that children born preterm receive timely and appropriate therapies and services.