[Impact of preterm infants of less than 30 weeks gestation on the prevalence of special education in school beginners of a German city (Frankfurt/Main)].
BACKGROUND
To compare infants, who were born prematurely, with all school beginners in a German city in terms of the need for special education over a 2 year period, and to evaluate the educational outcome of infants at age 6-7 years.


METHODS
Children, who were born premature with a gestational age of less than 30 weeks, were identified with the help of their personal health records (Gelbes Untersuchungsheft) among all school beginners of the years 2002 and 2003 in the city of Frankfurt/Main. Neonatal risk factors (intracranial bleeding, periventricular leucomalacia, retinopathy) were registered. All families and teachers of the identified children were contacted by telephone in 2005, and interviewed concerning the present school situation.


RESULTS
In 2002 and 2003 a total of 10.743 children began school. 30 of them were identified as former premature infants (2.8 per 1000/year). They were treated after birth in various neonatal centres of the region. 11 of 30 infants were examined for a possible need for special education, and the others entered a regular school without any examination. 9 out of the 11 children were admitted to special schools, and in 2005 a further two children had special education. 18 children had a confirmed impairment as risk factor at discharge from neonatal unit, and 15 out of them were attending regular schools. In contrast, 6 out of 12 children with confirmed impairments could go to regular schools.


CONCLUSIONS
The relative risk of need for special education in former premature born children was 30% whereas it was in whole population 10%. Ca. 70% of children, who were born with a gestational age less than 30 weeks, could attend normal school without any special education. Impairments, which were confirmed at the end of neonatal period, were of minor prognostic value for school outcome.
Schlösser
R L
RL
Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Klinikum der Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main. Rolf.Schloesser@kgu.de
Krackardt
B
B
Weber
J
J
Lerman
E
E
D002648:Child; D004519:Education, Special; D005858:Germany; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students