Small-for-Gestational Age Birth Confers Similar Educational Performance through Middle School.

Area of Science:

• Perinatal epidemiology
• Developmental pediatrics
• Educational psychology

Background:

• Small for gestational age (SGA) is a significant concern in perinatal health, potentially impacting long-term child development.
• Understanding the long-term educational and disability outcomes for SGA children is crucial for early intervention and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between being born small for gestational age (SGA) and educational performance on standardized tests.
• To estimate the relationship between SGA birth and the prevalence of disability in elementary and middle school students.

Main Methods:

• Utilized linked birth and school records for over 1.25 million Florida public school students (1998-2009).
• Defined SGA using 23 different percentile criteria (3rd-25th) and analyzed Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores and disability classifications.
• Employed multivariable models and a sibling cohort design to control for confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Children born SGA (<10th percentile) had unadjusted lower standardized test scores, with the deficit diminishing after adjusting for covariates.
• The association between SGA and lower test scores was further reduced when comparing siblings, indicating the influence of familial factors.
• Prevalence of disability in SGA children was significantly reduced in adjusted and sibling analyses compared to unadjusted observations.

Conclusions:

• The impact of SGA birth on standardized test scores and disability prevalence is quantitatively small but persistent through elementary and middle school.
• Demographic and familial factors play a substantial role in mitigating the observed deficits associated with SGA.
• These findings highlight the complex interplay of biological and environmental influences on child development and educational outcomes.