Prematurity has been well recognised as a risk factor for adverse functional outcomes, including motor, cognitive, emotional and behavioural problems. 1,2 Several studies have highlighted the longterm risks of 'high-prevalence and low-severity' disabilities such as learning disorders and behavioural problems for preterm children when reaching childhood. 3 Besides, preterm children present a specific pattern of behavioural characteristics that consists of inattention, emotional and socialisation difficulties, as well as internalising problems. 3 The high rates of emotional and behavioural problems in pretermborn children are attributed mainly to their brain immaturity at birth, in addition to the increased risks of postnatal complications that alter normal neuronal and synaptic development. 4 The perinatal risk factors commonly refer to the gestational age, birth weight, sex, the
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