Children with Hypoxic-ischaemic Encephalopathy have a Specific Deficit in Attention

Background: It is known that children, born with Hypoxic-ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE), have a risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly for delay in development of executive abilities. However, it is important to investigate the specific impact of HIE on executive abilities.

Objective: The goal of this research was to examine the hypothesis that children, born with HIE, have a specific (not global) deficit in executive abilities.

Participants and Methods: The experimental group included 25 children aged 6–7 years (mean age = 6.9). They were born full-term with perinatal Hypoxic-ischaemic Encephalopathy. The control group included 25 typically developing children. The children from experimental and control group were matched for gender and age. Executive abilities of children from both groups were assessed by 4 subtests from NEPSY (Auditory Attention and Response Set, Visual Attention, Design Fluency, Statue).

Results: One-way ANOVA has revealed significant (p<.05) group differences in two subtests from NEPSY (Auditory Attention and Response Set, Visual Attention). However, we have not revealed significant (p<.05) differences between children from experimental and control group in “Design Fluency” and “Statue” subtests.

Conclusion: In view of the obtained results it can be assumed that the Hypoxic-ischaemic Encephalopathy has specific (not global) negative effect on development of executive abilities in children. Particularly, children, born with HIE, have deficit in selective and sustained attention.