Are premature babies intelligent? Are their cognitive abilities inferior to those born at term? A persistent belief holds that premature infants born before full term are less intelligent than full-term babies. Is this accurate?
Premature infants are defined as newborns delivered before 37 weeks of gestation.Most premature infants weigh less than 2500 grams at birth. Premature infants have a higher mortality rate because their organ systems are underdeveloped, making them prone to various complications. Therefore, most premature infants require a period of hospital treatment and care.
Premature infants may be discharged when they can: suckle independently and meet daily feeding requirements; maintain normal body temperature in a room heated to 21–24°C; gain 10–30 grams daily and reach a weight of at least 2300 grams; show no complications; require no supplemental oxygen; and exhibit no symptoms of anemia or other nutritional deficiencies. However, after discharge, the child remains physically vulnerable, and parents must provide extremely careful nursing care.
Contact your doctor immediately if any of the following occur: ① Body temperature drops below 35°C or rises above 38°C, and remains unresponsive to warming or cooling measures; ② Coughing, foamy spit-up, or rapid breathing; ③ Sudden decrease in feeding, waxy complexion, or weak crying;④ Sudden abdominal distension; ⑤ Seizures or convulsions.
When caring for a premature infant, avoid impatience. Be attentive, observe the child's changes closely, but do not become overly anxious. Follow scientific care practices and maintain confidence—the child will surely grow up healthy.Practice has shown that the period before age two is a crucial window to compensate for congenital deficiencies. With scientifically sound feeding practices, it is entirely possible for premature infants to catch up physically to full-term infants by their second birthday. Such premature babies will not lag behind their peers in either physical strength or intellectual development.