OP75 – 2431: Mental health and psychiatric symptoms at 11 years among extremely preterm children

Abstract

Objective To describe the prevalence of mental health problems, and symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) at 11 years of age in extremely preterm/extreme low birth weight (EP/ELBW) children without mental retardation, blindness, deafness, or severe cerebral palsy compared to a reference Group. Methods In a national Norwegian cohort with gestational age 22–27 weeks or birth weight 500–999 g, mental health was assessed by parents and teachers using The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), The Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ), The Swanson, Noland, and Pelham Questionnaire IV (SNAP IV), The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Pervasive rating was defined as both parent and teacher reported problem at or above the 95th percentile for the reference group, except for SDQ with a 90th percentile. The reference group was children from the longitudinal population based Bergen Child Study in Norway. Results Of the 338 eligible EP/ELBW children, 216 (64%) attended the study while 1880 (61%) of reference children attended. Thirteen percent of the EP/ELBW children compared to 3% of the reference group had a pervasive rated indication of psychiatric disorder according to SDQ (OR: 4.9, 95% CI; 2.9–8.2). EP/ELBW children were at significantly increased risk of pervasive rated ASD symptomatology (EP/ELBW: 6%