Wolke, Dieter, Samara, Muthanna, Bracewell, Melanie A. and Marlow, Neil (2008) Specific language difficulties and school achievement in children born at 25 weeks of gestation or less. Journal of Pedriatics, Vol.152 (No.2). pp. 256-262. ISSN 0022-3476

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Abstract

Objective To determine whether language and educational problems are specific or due to general cognitive deficits in children born at 25 weeks' gestation or less.

Study design A national cohort study assessed 241 of 308 (78%) surviving children at a median age of 6 years, 4 months along with 160 of these children's classmates. Formal tests included standard cognitive, language, phonetic, and speech assessments. The children's school achievement was rated by classroom teachers.

Results Mean cognitive scores for index children were 82 (standard deviation [SD]+/- 19) compared with 106 (SD +/- 12) for the peer group. Extremely preterm children had an increased risk of language problems (odds ratio [OR] = 10; 9i% confidence interval 101 = 3 to 32), speech problems (OR = 4.4; 95% Cl = 3 to 7), and overall school difficulties (OR = 25; 95% Cl = 12 to 54). Extremely preterm boys were twice as likely to show deficits as extremely preterm girls, but no such sex-based differences were apparent in the comparison group. Differences in general cognitive scores explained specific language or phonetic awareness deficits, but not speech ratings or educational difficulties, in the extremely preterm children.

Conclusions Language or phonetic difficulties are not specific and indicate general cognitive functional difficulties. The findings have implications for models of global deviation of brain development in extremely preterm children.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics
Divisions:	Other > Institute of Advanced Study Faculty of Science > Psychology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Premature infants -- Development, Cognition disorders in children, Learning disabilities, Language disorders in children, Academic achievement -- Research
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Pedriatics
Publisher:	Mosby-Elsevier
ISSN:	0022-3476
Official Date:	February 2008
Volume:	Vol.152
Number:	No.2
Number of Pages:	7
Page Range:	pp. 256-262
Identification Number:	10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.06.043
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Funder:	BLISS, PPP Foundation, WellBeing (Organization)
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/30669

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

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