The effect of the Infant Health and Development Program on special education use at school age

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Educational Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Low birth weight infants are at increased risk for developmental delays and learning disabilities.
• Early intervention programs aim to mitigate long-term effects of prematurity and low birth weight.
• The Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP) provided intensive early intervention services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term impact of the IHDP on special service utilization in school-aged children.
• To determine if early intervention affects the need for special education, remedial services, or speech therapy at age 8.
• To assess service use among children with learning disabilities (LDs) in relation to the intervention.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the IHDP for low birth weight infants (0-3 years).
• Multivariate logistic regression used to analyze intervention effects on special service use at age 8.
• Comparison of service utilization rates between intervention and control groups, particularly for those with LDs.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were found between intervention and control groups for special education, remedial reading, remedial math, or speech therapy.
• Rates of learning disabilities (LDs) did not differ between the study arms.
• Service utilization for children with LDs was low and not influenced by the early intervention.

Conclusions:

• Early IQ gains from infant interventions may not translate into protection against educational challenges in grade school.
• A significant unmet need for school-based support services exists among low birth weight children with learning disabilities.
• The findings highlight the importance of continued support and identification of needs beyond early intervention for at-risk children.