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The long-term relations of socioeconomic status (SES) and early-life exposures with cognitive development at preadolescence are not fully understood, especially in low SES populations. We examined associations of SES and early-life exposures including feeding practices, physical growth and infections with cognitive development among preadolescents from underprivileged communities. A prospective study was conducted among 146 healthy children from two relatively low SES Arab villages in Israel, who were recruited at age 1–9 weeks and followed until age 18 months. Information was obtained on their feeding practices, health status and growth indicators. Cognitive development at age 10–12 years was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, including the full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) and scores of four cognitive domains. Multiple linear regression models were performed. Nearly all the children (98%) were breastfed in infancy. Bivariate correlations were found of SES, growth indices and rates of diarrheal and respiratory illnesses in infancy, but not of feeding practices, with cognitive scores. In multivariable models, SES was positively (p < 0.001) associated with all the cognitive domains (beta coefficient ranges 4.3 to 8.2). Birthweight was positively associated with FSIQ (p = 0.039) and the perceptual reasoning index (p = 0.002). Weight for age Z score at age 10–14 months was positively associated with the verbal comprehension index (p = 0.003). The rate of respiratory illnesses was negatively associated with the perceptual reasoning index (p = 0.05). SES is strongly associated with cognitive development even in relatively low SES communities. Birthweight, weight indicators and respiratory illness in infancy might affect cognitive development through preadolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children born to heroin-dependent mothers (n=83) were compared to 76 children born to heroin-dependent fathers and to 3 control groups with and without environmental deprivation and health problems. Results found that developmental delays and behavioral disorders found among heroin-exposed children resulted primarily from severe environmental deprivation and less from in utero exposure. (Author/PB)

Given limited research on perceptual motor functioning of preschool children with symptoms of ADHD, the purpose of this study was to compare the fine motor, gross motor, visuomotor, and oral-motor functioning of 49 4- to 6-yr.-old children with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and 48 typically developing children. Analysis showed scores of the ADHD group were significantly lower than those of the control group on all perceptuomotor measures. In addition, scores on all measures yielded significant correlations with scores on the Hyperactive Inattentive scale of the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire. Regression analyses indicated that the scores of gross motor and visuomotor functioning were significant predictors of group classification (with and without ADHD). These findings extend the well documented findings of perceptuomotor deficits among school-age children with ADHD into the preschool period and emphasize the importance of early assessment and treatment of these deficits in young children with symptoms of ADHD