Language, executive functions, short-term memory and literacy in preterm children: A longitudinal study

Abstract : Several studies have shown that very preterm birth may affect language, executive functions, verbal short-term memory and literacy. The aim of this study was to investigate these competencies in very preterm children compared to full-term children, thus describing how language, executive functions and verbal short-term memory observed at the end of preschool age (6 years) affect literacy at 8 years. Forty-two monolingual Italian very preterm children (mean gestational age 29.7 weeks), with no history of major cerebral damage, were followed longitudinally at 6 years by investigating language (vocabulary, grammar, and phonological awareness), executive functions (syllabic and phonemic fluency) and verbal short-term memory (vowel span, non-word repetition) and examinated again at 8 years on literacy (word and non-words reading and spelling). Two cross-sectional groups of full-term children were recruited (34 children at 6 years and 26 at 8 years). Preterm children showed lower abilities in language at 6 years and in literacy at 8 years, while no differences between groups regarding syllabic and phonemic fluency and short-term memory were found. Linear regression analyses revealed that in the preterm sample both language and verbal short-term memory had a predictive role on literacy with some differences in function of word versus non-word reading and writing. These findings revealed the importance to analyse both language and short-term memory in preterm children at the end of preschool age, with relevant implications for interventions to improve literacy at school age.