University of Warwick/Nottingham - Early birth affects behaviour

Very premature children are four times more likely to have behavioural disorders compared with their peers, researchers have found. The group, from the universities of Warwick and Nottingham, found that six-year-olds who were born before 26 weeks' gestation were three and a half times more likely to be hyperactive and five times more likely to have attention problems than other children of a similar age. Boys born prematurely were more likely to have behaviour problems, while girls were more prone to anxiety and depression.