Evaluation of Neurological Status and School Readiness in Preterm Preschoolers

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
Beginning school is an important milestone for children. Children's readiness for school involves cognitive, physical, and emotional development. While the majority of children born preterm are able to transition from preschool to kindergarten with little difficulty, some children experience challenges during this time. Factors that negatively influence children's success in kindergarten include their age, socioeconomic status, neurological status and their ability to interpret sensory information from their environment. This study was planned to explain the relationship between the primary school readiness and the neurological status of preterm born children.

Detailed Description
-----------------
A convenience of preterm and term preschoolers recruiting from Gazi University, Faculty of Health Science, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation. Each group contains 30 children. First, sociodemographic information and histories of children are obtaining. Ages and contact information of the parents are recording. Prenatal and natal risk factors of the mothers are querying. Gestational ages and height, weight, and head circumferences of babies at birth are recording. Number of pregnancies, live births and abortions, type of delivery, multiple pregnancies for mothers as well as consanguinity between parents are asking. Marmara Primary School Readiness Scale is using to evaluate mental-language development, socio-emotional development, physical development, self-care skills,math skills, science skills, voice exercises, line exercises and labyrinths. Sensory profile caregiver questionnaire screen for the senses (sensory processing), adjustment (modulation), behavioral and emotional responses. The Touwen examination (neurological examination) is using to evaluate posture in various positions, muscle tone, dyskinesias, range of motion, reflexes, sensory function and cranial nerve function as well as developmental items, i.e. the items dealing with coordination, fine manipulative abilities and associated movements. All examination wiil be finished in the same day.

Official Title
-----------------
Evaluation of Neurological Status and School Readiness of Preterm Children in Preschool Period

Conditions
-----------------
School Readiness

Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: No neurological diagnosis gestational age < 37 weeks 60-78 months of age Exclusion Criteria: Have a neurological diagnosis (such as cerebral palsy) Grade III or grade IV intraventricular hemorrhage Have undergone major surgery in neonatal period Mental retardation

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 60 Months
Maximum Age: 78 Months

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Preterm Preschoolers<br>Preterm children who haven't attend school. | |
| Term Preschoolers<br>Term children who haven't attend school. | |

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Marmara Primary School Readiness Scale | The application form includes math skills, science skills, voice exercises, line exercises and labyrinths; Development form; Mental-language development, socio-emotional development, physical development, self-care skills. | 45 minutes | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sensory profile caregiver questionnaire | The profile reveals the child's sensory appearance in terms of sensory search, emotional response formation, low endurance, oral tenderness, distractibility, weak perception, sensory sensitivity, activity level and fine motor / perceptual differences. In addition, the child evaluates the senses (sensory processing), adjustment (modulation), behavioral and emotional responses. | 45 minutes | 
| The Touwen examination (neurological examination) | The assesment includes traditional neurological items, such as the evaluation of posture in various positions, muscle tone, dyskinesias, range of motion, reflexes, sensory function and cranial nerve function as well as developmental items, i.e. the items dealing with coordination, fine manipulative abilities and associated movements. | 45 minutes | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
preterm, neurological status, School Readiness