Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2025

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

86.1K

Small-for-Gestational-Age and Vocabulary and Achievement Test Scores at Age 9 Among Children Born at Term in a

Nancy E Reichman1,2,3, Hope Corman4,5, Kelly Noonan6

  • 1Division of Population Health, Quality, and Implementation Science, Department of Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. reichmne@rwjms.rutgers.edu.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
|August 1, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Children born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) at term may face cognitive challenges. Early interventions are recommended for these children to improve school performance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Children born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) exhibit increased risk for cognitive impairment, even at term gestation.
  • This study investigates the link between sex-specific SGA and cognitive outcomes in 9-year-old children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between small-for-gestational-age (SGA) status and cognitive test performance in term-born children.
  • To provide evidence from a contemporary, high-risk US population sample.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary data analysis of 2144 term-born children from a US birth cohort study (1998-2000).
  • Oversampling of non-marital births to include socioeconomically disadvantaged and minority populations.
  • Vocabulary and achievement tests administered at age 9; regression models used to assess SGA associations.

Main Results:

  • Sex-specific SGA was linked to 2-5 point lower test scores and increased odds of scores below 85 (more than 1 SD below the mean).
  • Adjusted models showed SGA associated with lower scores on Woodcock-Johnson Applied Problems (OR 2.257) and Passage Comprehension (OR 1.554) tests.

Conclusions:

  • Findings confirm previous research on SGA and cognitive outcomes in term-born children.
  • This study adds evidence from a contemporary, high-risk US population.
  • Recommends early intervention for term-born SGA children to enhance cognitive function in school.
Abstract

Keywords:
AchievementCognitiveSGASmall-for-gestational-ageTest scores

More Related Videos

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable09:24

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable

Published on: May 17, 2024

1.5K
Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques08:05

Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques

Published on: June 30, 2020

7.6K

Related Concept Videos

Language Development01:22

Language Development

Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
397
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
375
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
145
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children...
343
The Nativist Approach01:21

The Nativist Approach

The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to...
89
Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
77