Patient selection: very preterm infant (born before 33 weeks of gestation)
Risk factors for severe cognitive deficiency:
(1) low socio-economic status of the parents
(2) lack of breastfeeding (may reflect neuromuscular disability)
(3) presence of significant cerebral lesions on imaging studies
(4) small for gestational age
(5) 3 or more siblings
Cerebral lesions associated with an increased risk:
(1) Grade II or III intraventricular hemorrhage
(2) echodensities
(3) ventricular dilatation
(4) intraparenchymal hemorrhage
(5) cystic periventricular leukomalacia
Additional risk factors:
(1) gestational age <= 28 weeks
(2) bronchopulmonary dysplasia
(3) anemia
(4) postnatal corticosteroids
(5) low maternal education (less than high school)
