EFFECTS OF SUBEPENDYMAL AND MILD INTRAVENTRICULAR LESIONS ON VISUAL-ATTENTION AND MEMORY IN PREMATURE-INFANTS

This study evaluated 10-month-old infants to determine if supependymal or mild intraventricular hemorrhage (S/IVH) affects visual attention, visual memory, or memory for location. Thirty premature infants with normal ultrasound scans, 30 premature infants with S/IVH, and 30 full-term infants were evaluated on a habituation/novelty preference task, the ABBAR object permanence task, and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Premature infants with S/IVH took longer to habituate than premature infants without S/IVH or full-term infants. Both groups of premature infants were significantly less likely to be successful on the ABBAR task than full-term infants. Although the Bayley Mental Scales were significantly higher for both full-term and premature infants without S/IVH than those with S/IVH, number of trials to habituation better distinguished infants with S/IVH from those with no hemorrhage.