Prematurity as a differential factor in the executive functions in children with ADHD

Abstract

development. It is observed that these children tend to present a low level of attention, behaviour, motor coordination and academic performance. The main objective of this study was to study the neuropsychological profile of a sample of patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and to verify if there are significant differences between the participants (birth to term or premature). A neuropsychological assessment protocol was administered to a sample of 10 participants with ADHD. The scores obtained related to the cognitive/executive functioning of the sample are indicative of a medium cognitive profile, slight deficits to the levels of selective and alternating attention, and difficulties in the executive component of inhibition and change. There were differences in cognitive-executive performance between the ADHD group with term delivery and the ADHD group with preterm delivery, but there were no statistically significant differences. Further studies will be needed in the future that will deepen these differences. Neuropsychological research has proved to be a tool capable of identifying changes in cognitive and executive processes.