Preterm birth is a significant risk factor for number of psychiatric disorders and neurodevelopmental impairments. However, mental health issues of preterm children are substantially underestimated in comparison with that somatic.
This article has several objectives: to summarize the most important findings of preterm mental health studies, to inform briefly about the recent research on preterm children born with very low birthweight and to draft concept of psychological and psychiatric care for children with serious perinatal stress.