School outcomes of late preterm infants: special needs and challenges for infants born at 32 to 36 weeks gestation.
OBJECTIVE
Because limited long-term outcome data exist for infants born at 32 to 36 weeks gestation, we compared school outcomes between 32- to 33-week moderate preterm (MP), 34-36 week late preterm (LP) and full-term (FT) infants.


METHODS
A total of 970 preterm infants and 13 671 FT control subjects were identified from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort. Test scores, teacher evaluations, and special education enrollment from kindergarten (K) to grade 5 were compared.


RESULTS
LP infants had lower reading scores than FT infants in K to first grade (P < .05). Adjusted risk for poor reading and math scores remained elevated in first grade (P < .05). Teacher evaluations of math skills from K to first grade and reading skills from K to fifth grade were worse for LP infants (P < .05). Adjusted odds for below average skills remained higher for math in K and for reading at all grades (P < .05). Special education participation was higher for LP infants at early grades (odds ratio, 1.4-2.1). MP infants had lower test and teacher evaluation scores than FT infants and twice the risk for special education at all grade levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Persistent teacher concerns through grade 5 and greater special education needs among MP and LP infants suggest a need to start follow-up, anticipatory guidance, and interventions for infants born at 32 to 36 weeks gestation.
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA. lisachyi@stanford.edu
Lisa J
LJ
Chyi
Henry C
HC
Lee
Susan R
SR
Hintz
Jeffrey B
JB
Gould
Trenna L
TL
Sutcliffe
D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D004519:Education, Special; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011932:Reading; D012574:Schools