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School-age outcomes in children who were extremely low birth weight from four international population-based cohorts

Saroj Saigal1, Lya den Ouden, Dieter Wolke

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. saigal@mcmaster.ca

Pediatrics
|October 3, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Learning and school problems are common in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors across multiple countries. These challenges, including cognitive and achievement deficits, necessitate educational support for over half of these children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Educational Psychology

Background:

  • Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors face potential long-term developmental and academic challenges.
  • International comparisons are crucial to understand variations in outcomes for ELBW populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in learning and school problems among extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors and reference children across international cohorts.
  • To compare the prevalence of cognitive and achievement deficits in ELBW children in New Jersey, Ontario, Bavaria, and Holland.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal follow-up of 532 ELBW survivors (500-1000g birth weight) from four international cohorts (New Jersey, Ontario, Bavaria, Holland).
  • Psychometric assessments of cognitive status and academic achievement administered between ages 8-11 years.
  • Data on special educational assistance and grade repetition collected from parents, with country-specific norm adjustments.

Main Results:

  • Significant variations in cognitive and achievement scores were observed across cohorts, with New Jersey showing the lowest deficit rates and Bavaria performing lower in achievement.
  • Proportions of children with normal IQ ranged from 44%-62%, reading 46%-81%, arithmetic 31%-76%, and spelling 39%-65%.
  • Over half of all ELBW children in the study required special educational assistance or grade repetition, indicating widespread school difficulties.

Conclusions:

  • School difficulties are a significant and common sequela of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) across diverse international settings.
  • These findings highlight the substantial social and economic implications of long-term educational support needs for ELBW survivors.
Abstract

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