Verena Pritchard|Samudragupta Bora|Nicola Austin|Karelia J. Levin|Lianne J. Woodward
Identifying Very Preterm Children at Educational Risk Using a School Readiness Framework
Aberystwyth University|Harvard University|Brigham and Women's Hospital|Christchurch Hospital|University of Otago|University of Canterbury|Brigham and Women's Hospital|Harvard University|University of Canterbury
objectives children born preterm vpt high risk educational delay yet guidelines exist early identification greatest risk using school readiness framework study examined relations preschool neurodevelopmental functioning educational outcomes age 9 years methods sample consisted regional cohort 110 vpt 32 weeks gestation 113 fullterm children born 19982000 corrected age 4 years children completed multidisciplinary assessment healthmotor development socioemotional adjustment core learning skills language general cognition ages 6 9 childrens literacy numeracy skills assessed using woodcockjohnson iii tests achievement results across readiness domains vpt children high risk delayimpairment odds ratios 2535 multiple problems also common 47 vs 16 followup almost twothirds vpt children subject significant educational delay either literacy numeracy compared 29 31 fullterm children odds ratios 3444 number readiness domains affected age 4 strongly predicted later educational risk especially multiple problems present receiver operating characteristic analysis confirmed 2 readiness problems optimal threshold identifying vpt children educational risk conclusions school readiness offers promising framework early identification vpt children high educational risk findings support utility 2 affected readiness domains effective criterion referral educational surveillance andor additional support transition school