A premature baby, born before 37 weeks' gestation, may be born early as a result of an infection, hormonal imbalance or mother's poor health. He may need help to breathe, eat and stay warm at first. The earlier he is born, the more complications he is at risk for. Although it is possible for his learning to be on track, he may be at risk for cognitive complications.
Cognitive Milestones
Premature babies often reach milestones according to their adjusted age instead of their actual age. To find your baby's adjusted age, BabyCenter states that you can count the number of weeks between her birth date and due date, and subtract that number from her current age. For example, if your baby is 12 weeks old and was born 4 weeks early, her adjusted age is 8 weeks. In some cases, your baby will reach milestones according to this adjusted age.
Delay
It is normal for a premature baby to meet milestones a bit later than his full-term peers. However, his development will be less delayed for cognitive development than it will be for motor skills. This means that your baby may be able to learn at a similar pace to other babies, and will not be as behind mentally as he may be physically.
Encouraging Development
If your baby was considerably premature, she may spend time in an incubator and in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the hospital. Because of this, your baby may miss some opportunities to learn and use her senses to experience the same things that full-term babies can. You can help encourage her development in the NICU by talking to her as much as possible, showing her pictures and books and holding her when you are able to. When you bring her home from the hospital, continue to engage her by talking to her and letting her experience different textures, shapes and colors.
Early Intervention
Early intervention is important for a premature baby experiencing developmental delays. Your baby may experience hearing or vision problems as a result of being premature, and this can affect his language development. He needs periodic ear and eye exams to make sure that everything is working properly. Kids Health states that speech therapy can be helpful in those situations.
Recommendation
If you are concerned about your baby's learning and cognitive development even after adjusting her age, talk to her doctor. The doctor may recommend additional early intervention programs and help you to improve your baby's learning.
