Johnson, Samantha, Strauss, Victoria, Gilmore, Camilla, Jaekel, Julia, Marlow, Neil and Wolke, Dieter (2016) Learning disabilities among extremely preterm children without neurosensory impairment : comorbidity, neuropsychological profiles and scholastic outcomes. Early Human Development, 103 . pp. 69-75. doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2016.07.009

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Abstract

Background:
Children born extremely preterm are at high risk for intellectual disability, learning disabilities, executive dysfunction and special educational needs, but little is understood about the comorbidity of intellectual and learning disabilities in this population.

Aims:
This study explored comorbidity in intellectual disability (ID) and learning disabilities (LD) in children born extremely preterm (EP; < 26+ 0 weeks' gestation).

Subjects and study design:
A UK national cohort of 161 EP children and 153 term-born controls without neurosensory impairments was assessed at 11 years of age (the EPICure Study).

Outcome measures:
IQ, mathematics and reading attainment, executive function, visuospatial processing and sensorimotor skills were assessed using standardised tests, and curriculum-based attainment and special educational needs (SEN) using teacher reports.

Results:
Overall, 75 (47%) EP children and 7 (4.6%) controls had ID or LD (RR 10.12; 95% CI 4.81, 21.27). Comorbidity in ID/LD was more common among EP children than controls (24% vs. 0%). EP children with comorbid ID/LD had significantly poorer neuropsychological abilities and curriculum-based attainment than EP children with an isolated disability or no disabilities. LD were associated with a 3 times increased risk for SEN. However, EP children with ID alone had poorer neuropsychological abilities and curriculum-based attainment than children with no disabilities, yet there was no increase in SEN provision among this group.

Conclusions:
EP children are at high risk for comorbid intellectual and learning disabilities. Education professionals should be aware of the complex nature of EP children's difficulties and the need for multi-domain assessments to guide intervention.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	R Medicine > RG Gynecology and obstetrics
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Mental Health and Wellbeing Faculty of Science > Psychology Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Premature infants, Learning disabilities, Children with disabilities, Reading, Mathematics, Educational attainment
Journal or Publication Title:	Early Human Development
Publisher:	Elsevier Ireland Ltd
ISSN:	0378-3782
Official Date:	December 2016
Dates:	Date Event December 2016 Published 9 August 2016 Available 19 July 2016 Accepted 23 February 2016 Submitted
Date of first compliant deposit:	11 August 2016
Volume:	103
Page Range:	pp. 69-75
DOI:	10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2016.07.009
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	Medical Research Council (Great Britain) (MRC), Nuffield Foundation (NF), National Institute for Health Research (Great Britain) (NIHR), Royal Society (Great Britain). Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (RSDHF)
Grant number:	EDU/40442 (NF)

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