研究背景及目的：晚期早產兒童的健康和發展長期以來並未受到醫療人員的
注意。但近十年陸續有研究指出此族群的發展預後明顯比足月兒童差。有鑑於國內外目前探討晚期早產嬰幼兒發展和行為的研究篇數仍不足，因此，本研究廣泛地探討2歲晚期早產兒在動作、認知、語言、感覺處理功能和情緒行為的表現，以及影響其發展和行為的各項因子。
研究方法：25位2歲晚期早產兒(出生週數340/7-366/7週，男童佔60%)和42位無健康和發展問題的足月產兒童(出生週數37週至41週，男童佔59.5%)參加本研究。兩組排除條件為(1)有染色體、基因異常、(2)先天結構異常，如先天性心臟病、唇顎裂等、(3)新生兒期有明顯神經問題如腦室出血等級III或IV、(4)神經系統曾有感染、(5)意外或腦部感染造成的腦傷、(6)聽覺和視覺問題無法校正到正常、(7)父母親任一為外籍配偶。研究方法為在校正(早產組)或生理(足月組)年齡2歲時，以貝萊嬰幼兒發展測驗III評估兒童的動作和認知發展，以及由兒童照顧者填寫華語嬰幼兒溝通發展量表、嬰幼兒感覺處理剖析量表-中文版、1.5-5歲兒童行為檢核量表和基本資料問卷。統計方法採用獨立樣本T檢定和卡方檢定分析早產和足月兒童在各項發展和行為之差異。Pearson correlation coefficient、Point Biserial Correlation、Spearman correlation coefficient和卡方檢定分析各項因子與早產兒發展和行為結果的相關性。
研究結果：校正年齡兩歲的晚期早產兒在詞彙表達遲緩(p<.05)和非典型口腔感覺處理功能的人數比例(p<.001) 都較足月兒童明顯為高。兩組在其他發展面向、感覺處理功能和情緒行為則無明顯差別。此外，性別、胞胎數、家庭社經地位和兒童日常休閒生活參與時間與晚期早產兒的多項發展和感覺處理功能有顯著的相關性。
結論：由本研究結果顯示無明顯腦部或健康問題的晚期早產兒在兩歲時的語言詞彙表達和口腔感覺處理功能上仍有較差的表現。因此，晚期早產兒的家長和臨床醫療人員在這幾項發展領域應多加注意。另外，也要多注意兒童日常休閒活動的安排(如減少觀看電視等相關產品時間、增加閱讀和戶外活動時間)，以促進其發展。

In this study, we aimed to compare the developmental outcomes of late preterm and term children at 2 years of age. Factors related to developmental outcomes in late preterm children were also investigated. Twenty-five late preterm and 42 term children were recruited. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Third Edition) was used to assess child’s motor and cognition at 2 years of corrected or chronological age. Parents were asked to complete Mandarin-Chinese Communicative Development Inventory-Taiwan, Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile-Chinese version, and 1.5-5Y Child Behavior Checklist. A higher percentage of preterm children had vocabulary delay (p<.05) and atypical oral sensory processing function (p<.001) than children born at term. No significant difference was found in other developmental and behavioral outcomes between the two groups of children. Gender, multiple birth, family socioeconomic status and the time spent in various leisure activities were found to be related to developmental outcomes in late preterm children. The present findings suggest that parents and clinicians need to pay more attention to language and oral sensory processing function in late preterm children. In addition, proper participation in leisure activities such as decreasing time to watch TV and increasing time in reading and outdoor activities may help to improve their developmental outcomes.

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