Editorial: The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Born Extremely Preterm Is a Real Challenge

The long-term outcome of children born very preterm (VP) (before 32 weeks’ gestation) or extremely preterm (EP) (before 28 weeks’ gestation) has been the focus of extensive research, predominantly investigating general cognition, motor functioning, academic achievement, and behavioral problems. While there is considerable interindividual variability in terms of long-term outcome, there is strong evidence that children born VP/EP are at greater risk for cognitive and motor impairments, academic underachievement, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and inattention than peers born at term.1,2