Reading abilities in preterm children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Children born preterm are known to experience specific learning difficulties.
• Reading ability is a critical developmental milestone affected by preterm birth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the reading ability performance of children born preterm.
• To identify specific areas of reading deficits in preterm children.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of 486 identified studies.
• Inclusion of 53 studies with 143 effect sizes, encompassing 33,500 children (5-18 years).
• Analysis of reading subcategories including letter-word knowledge, reading comprehension, spelling, phonological awareness, and rapid automatized naming.

Main Results:

• Preterm children, particularly those born extremely preterm, demonstrated significantly lower performance in reading comprehension and spelling compared to full-term peers.
• No significant differences were observed in phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming between groups.
• Effect sizes were larger in preterm children without diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders.

Conclusions:

• Preterm birth is associated with deficits in reading and spelling abilities.
• Neuroeducational programs must be developed to address the unique learning needs of students born preterm.
• Early identification and intervention are crucial for improving reading outcomes in this population.